field notes

Bats of Costa Rica

This Central American nation is home to 120+ bat species—here are a few of them
Photos by Jennifer Barros, Ph.D., and Melquisedec Gamba-Rios, Ph.D.
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osta Rica is well-known for its incredible biodiversity, and the Central American country is home to more than 120 bat species. Some Costa Rican bats roost in caves, while others utilize vegetation to roost. For example, Spix’s disc-winged bat (Thyroptera tricolor) roosts in partially rolled up leaves. BCI’s Regional Director for Latin American and the Caribbean Melquisedec Gamba-Rios, Ph.D., and Brazil Program Manager Jennifer Barros, Ph.D., share some of their incredible photos of Costa Rican bats.

A close-up, profile view of a brown bat's head against a black background. It has large, pointed ears and a prominent, horn-like noseleaf that extends upward from its nose. Its mouth is slightly open, revealing small, sharp teeth.
The commissaris’s long-tongued bat (Glossophaga commissarisi) is a nectarivorous species that roosts in caves and hollow trees in small groups of around 10 individuals.
A bat hangs upside down from the underside of a large, green leaf. The leaf is tattered with a few small holes. Other leaves and a bright sky are visible in the blurry background.
The insectivorous Thomas’s shaggy bat (Centronyctaris centralis) is usually observed roosting alone under large leaves in rainforest habitats.
A small, dark brown bat emerges from inside a large, light green, rolled-up leaf. The bat is in mid-flight, with its wings spread out. Its mouth is open and its teeth are visible. The background is completely black.
Rolled leaves are ephemeral roosts for Spix’s disk-winged bat (Thyroptera tricolor) since they only use them for one day before the leaves open too much for them to use.
A close-up, profile shot of a small white bat against a black background. Its fur is bright white, and its pointed ears and noseleaf are a striking yellow color. Its eye is a dark color with a blue sheen.
The Honduran white bat (Ectophylla alba) only roosts in modified leaves and is one of the most charismatic tent-making bats in the Neotropics.
A close-up, frontal shot of a brown bat's head against a black background. The bat is facing the camera with its mouth open, revealing a row of sharp white teeth. A prominent, tall noseleaf extends upward from the top of its nose. Its eyes are dark and appear to be looking forward.
The Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) uses a variety of roosts, including caves, vegetation, and tree holes.
A group of small, dark brown bats hang upside down in a cluster from the wooden ceiling rafters of a building. Their wings are folded tightly around their bodies. The image is taken from a low angle, looking up at the bats.
Thumbless bat (Furipterus horrens) is likely to be the rarest bat species in Costa Rica, with only one previous colony observed in the 1970s.
A close-up, profile shot of a reddish-brown bat's head against a black background. The bat has large, pointed ears and a warty, wrinkled nose. Its mouth is open wide, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.
The Thomas’s yellow bat (Rhogessa io) can be found roosting in palm fronds, hollow trees, and buildings.
A close-up, profile shot of a bat with bright orange fur against a black background. Its head and face are a mottled brown color, with small bumps on the nose. Its ears are large and pointed. The bat is looking to the right.
This fish-eating bat, greater bulldog bat (Noctilio leporinus) is known to roost in hollow trees and has been observed using caves and rock crevices.
Two small, light brown bats are snuggled together, sleeping on a large, slightly torn, green leaf. The leaf's surface has a prominent central vein and a ribbed texture.
The northern little yellow-eared bat (Vampyressa thyone) is known as a tent-making bat since it engineers and modifies leaves for roosting.
A close-up, profile shot of a brown bat's head against a black background. The bat has exceptionally large, fan-like ears that stand out from its head. Its face is slightly wrinkled, and it has a small, leaf-shaped nose. The mouth is slightly open, revealing a row of tiny teeth.
A colony of small bats, appearing as a cluster of gray and brown bodies, peeks out from a circular hole in a large, dark brown, mound-like structure. The structure, which looks like a fungus or a termite nest, is attached to a tree branch.
Pygmy round-eared bat (Lophostoma brasiliensis) males carve cavities for roosting in live termite nests.
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