Big brown bats are among the Rhode Island bats most closely associated with people, often roosting in buildings and feeding above ponds, fields, and tree-lined streets. Colt State Park’s open lawns and shoreline can offer evening flight views, while land-trust preserves and wooded river corridors provide sheltered insect-rich routes.
Records peak in May and again in July and August, when warm nights support sustained feeding and maternity colonies are active. Watch just after sunset for a comparatively large, steady-flying bat. Never handle a grounded bat; keep people and pets away and contact a wildlife rehabilitator or public-health authority for guidance.
Full species profile
