World's Largest Urban Bat Colony
Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge
Austin, TX 78704
Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge (formerly known as Congress Avenue Bridge) crosses over the picturesque Lady Bird Lake and is home to the world's largest urban bat colony which is comprised of Mexican free-tailed bats.According to Bat Conservation International, between 750,000 and 1.5 million bats reside beneath the road deck in the structure's concrete gaps from March to October (migration to Mexico occurs during the winter). Tourists flock to Austin annually to see the bats emerge each evening at dusk, flying eastward to feed themselves. They can be seen from the bridge, riversides, boats, and grassy knoll public viewing area at 305 South Congress Avenue.
Bat Conservation International
MORE ON THE FLASH LIST
