Skip to main content
CWF logo
Sign In
Username

Password
Forgot?
Not a Member?   Register Today
Français
Donate
Shop
Subscribe
  • Donate
    • Ways to Give
    • Single
    • Monthly
    • Shop CWF
    • Adopt-an-animal
    • Fundraise
    • In Tribute
      • In Honour
      • In Memory
    • Gift of Securities
    • Symbolic Gifts
    • Legacy Giving
    • Corporate
      • Major Gifts
      • Sponsorship
  • About Us
    • Why Canada's Wildlife Needs Us
    • Contact Us
    • Supporter Centre
    • FAQs
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Board Of Directors
    • Foundation
    • Senior Staff
    • Reports
    • Privacy & Policies
      • Accesssibility
      • Policies
  • What We Do
    • What We Do
    • Coasts & Oceans
    • Forests & Fields
    • Lakes & Rivers
    • Endangered Species & Biodiversity
    • Education & Leadership
    • Connecting With Nature
  • Resources
    • Check out our resources
    • DIY
    • Downloads
    • Encyclopedias
    • Events
    • For Educators
    • Games
    • Printed Materials
    • Reports & Papers
  • News & Media
    • Blogs
    • Brand Guidelines & Logos
    • In the News
    • Magazines
    • Newsletters
    • Press Releases
  • Blog
  • Magazine
  • Shop
  • Site Search
  • Sign In
  • Français
  • Donate
  • What We Do
  • Resources
  • News & Media
  • About Us
  • Français
  • Site Search
  • Sign In
  • Français
  • Ways to Give
    • Single
    • Monthly
    • In Honour
    • In Memory
    • Adopt an Animal
    • Shop CWF
    • Symbolic Gifts
    • Fundraising
    • Legacy Giving
    • Gift of Securities
    • Corporate
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Supporter Centre
    • FAQs
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Board Of Directors
    • Foundation
    • Senior Staff
    • Reports
      • └ Annual
      • └ Financial
    • Privacy & Policies
      • └ Accesssibility
      • └ Policies
  • What We Do
    • Coasts & Oceans
    • Forests & Fields
    • Lakes & Rivers
    • Endangered Species & Biodiversity
    • Education & Leadership
    • Connecting With Nature


    • Agriculture & Habitat
    • American Eels
    • Aquaculture
    • Backyard Birds
    • Bats
    • Bioblitz
    • Camping and Nature
    • Chinook Salmon
    • Conservation Awards
    • Educator Training
    • Expecting Parents
    • Family Nature Club
    • Fish Passage
    • Freshwater Turtles
    • Gardening For Wildlife
    • Gardening in Schools
    • Monarchs
    • National Wildlife Week
    • Photo Club
    • Pollinators
    • Right Whale
    • River Barriers
    • Rivers to Oceans Week
    • Teens in Nature
    • Wildlife in Winter
    • Young Adults in Nature
  • Resources
    • DIY
    • Downloads
      • └ Booklets & Handouts
      • └ Colouring Pages
      • └ E-cards
      • └ Podcasts
      • └ Reports & Papers
      • └ Wallpapers
      • └ Webinars
    • Events
    • Encyclopedias
      • └ Native Plants
      • └ Invasive Aquatic Species
      • └ Common Animal Fact Sheets
      • └ Common Plant Fact Sheets
    • For Educators
      • └ Curriculum Fit
      • └ Educational Units
      • └ Lesson Plans
      • └ Resource Sheets
    • Games
      • └ Interactive
      • └ Quizzes
      • └ Crafts & Activities
    • Printed Materials
      • └ Calendar
      • └ Magazines
      • └ Manuals
      • └ Posters
  • News & Media
    • Blogs
    • Brand Guidelines & Logos
    • In The News
    • Magazines
    • Newsletters
    • Press Releases
  • Why Support Wildlife
  • |
  • What We Do
  • |
  • Get Involved
Donate
Adopt
Facebook Twitter Wordpress Youtube Instagram Pintrest

Create a Simple Bat Roost

cwf-fcf.org > English > Resources > ... > Habitat Projects > Map Your Backyard
  • Do It Yourself Projects
  • At Home
  • Habitat Projects
  • Outside
Img1

Background
Bats are important for biodiversity and are an excellent form of pest control. A single big brown bat can eat as many as 7,000 insects a night. Around the world, human activities have caused a decline in many bat populations. Half of the 16 species of bats in British Columbia alone are considered at risk. You can help these valuable creatures by constructing a simple bat roost.

Procedure
• Choose a tree or pole in a sunny "edge" spot. Bats need space for landing and taking off, preferably near water or the cover of trees.

• Wrap a 1-m-wide piece of tar paper around the tree trunk or pole, 2 to 5 m above ground.

• Nail the tar paper around the top edge, like a tight-fitting skirt. It must be snug enough to prevent water from leaking under the skirt from above.

• The bats will enter from below and make their home underneath the skirt. To regulate their body temperature, they can crawl around the tree trunk as the sun moves.

• If bats use your artificial roost, report your observations to Bat Conservation International.

Maintenance
Check the bat roost regularly for signs of damage.
 

Wild About Bats

Wild About Bats is a unique gem in the Wild About … poster series. Great illustrations and range maps will acquaint you with Canada’s 19 native bats, where they live and what they eat. Spend some time with...

Read More

How long can bats live?

How long can bats live? A. 10 years B. 20 years C. 30 years

Read More
arrow

Learn more

Facebook Twitter Wordpress Youtube Instagram Pinterest
CWF

About Us

  • Ways to Give
  • Contact Us
  • Supporter Centre
  • Corporate Sponsorship
  • Careers
  • Funding
  • Board of Directors
  • Foundation
  • Reports
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy & Policies

What We Do

  • Endangered Species & Biodiversity
  • Lakes & Rivers
  • Coasts & Oceans
  • Forests & Fields
  • Education & Leadership
  • Connecting With Nature

Explore

  • Agriculture & Habitat
  • American Eels
  • Aquaculture
  • Bats
  • Below Zero
  • Bioblitz
  • Canadian Conservation Awards
  • Canadian Conservation Corps
  • #DoMoreForWildlife
  • Fish Passage
  • Freshwater Turtles
  • Gardening For Wildlife
  • Great Canadian Campout
  • Monarchs
  • Mother Goose
  • Photo Club
  • Pollinators
  • Reconnecting Canadians
  • Right Whale
  • River Barriers
  • Salmon
  • Rivers to Oceans Week
  • Wild About Birds
  • WILD Education
  • WILD Family Nature Club
  • WILD Outside
  • WILD Spaces

News & Media

  • Blogs
  • Newsletters
  • Press Releases
  • Magazines
  • In the News
  • Branding Guidelines & Logos

Resources

  • DIY
  • Downloads
  • Encyclopedias
  • Events
  • For Educators
  • Games
  • Reports & Papers
  • Manuals

Partner Websites

  • AquaticHabitat.ca
  • BanWithAPlan.org
  • Canadian Marine Animal Response
  • Foundation
  • Hinterland Who's Who
  • iNaturalist.ca
  • Love Your Lake
  • Quest for Canada's Great Whales
Français - Accueil

© 2021 Canadian Wildlife Federation. All Rights Reserved.

Charitable registration # 10686 8755 RR0001