Lasiurus cinereus

The hoary bat is the most widespread bat species across the Americas, occuring in all 50 states, including Hawaii (where it is the sole species of bat present), however, it is rare in the eastern United States. In addition, its range extends from the tree line in Canada to throughout South America. The hoary bat is a large bat, with a total length of 130 to 150 mm and an average wingspan of 430 mm. 

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The hoary bat is solitary and uses tree foliage for roosting. It is extremely hard to spot, leading to difficulties for scientists attempting to study them. During the colder months, hoary bats migrate to warmer regions and are believed not to undergo hibernation, although they may enter states of torpor during this period.  

These bats are predominantly insectivorous, though they feed on relatively few insect orders and moths tend to make up the bulk of their diet. They use echolocation to identify and track their flying prey. They are known to occasionally feed on other bat species, including the tri-colored bat. 

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Similar to the eastern red bat, the litter size for hoary bats is larger than that of the typical bat species; a single hoary bat can produce up to five offspring per reproductive event. 

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The hoary bat, like the silver-haired bat and eastern red bat, is a tree-roosting species and therefore does not face the threat of white-nose syndrome experienced by cave species, however, the species experiences serious threat from wind turbines due to their migratory behavior, and they suffer from habitat loss. They are currently listed by Connecticut's Wildlife Action Plan as Special Concern Species and a Species of Greatest Conservation Need.