Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Virginia Big-Eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae

Listing Status:   

Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND

General Information

Plecotus townsendii is a medium-sized bat with forearms measuring 39 to 48 millimeters (mm) long and weighing 7 to 12 grams. Total body length is 98 mm, the tail is 46 mm, and the hind foot is 11 mm long. This bat's long ears (over 2.5 centimeters) and facial glands on either side of the snout are quite distinctive. Fur is light to dark brown depending upon the age of the individual and the subspecies. The only other eastern bat that resembles the Ozark or the Virginia big-eared bat is P. rafinesquii (Rafinesque's big-eared bat). Rafinesque's big-eared bat has toe hairs that extend beyond the end of the toes and the dorsal fur is gray rather than brown. The belly fur of Rafinesque's big-eared bat is white or whitish rather than light brown or buff (Schmidly 1991, Barbour and Davis 1969). The Ozark and Virginia big-eared bats do not have overlapping ranges. Copulation occurs in the fall and winter and the females store the sperm until ovulation in late winter or spring. Gestation takes about 3 months and a single pup is born in May or June. Development is fairly rapid and the young are on their own within 2 months (Barbour and Davis 1969, Schmidly 1991, Kunz and Martin 1982).

Map of Species occurrence

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Map Image Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence

This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)



This species is listed wherever it is found, but
    • States/US Territories in which the Virginia Big-Eared bat, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  Kentucky , North Carolina , Virginia , West Virginia
    • US Counties in which the Virginia Big-Eared bat, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
12/31/1979 Northeast Region (Region 5) Entire

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 6: view all)
Date Citation Page Title
03/06/2012 77 FR 13251 13253 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Northeastern Species. Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.
01/29/2007 72 FR 4018 4019 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Ten Listed Northeastern Species
11/30/1979 44 FR 69206 69208 ETWP; Listing of Virginia and Ozark Big-eared Bats as Endangered Species and Critical Habitat Determination
08/30/1979 44 FR 51144 51145 ETWP; Reproposal of Critical Habitat for the Virginia Big-eared Bat
03/06/1979 44 FR 12382 12384 Requirement to Withdraw or Supplement Proposals to Determine Various U.S. Taxa of Plants and Wildlife as Endangered or Threatened or to Determine Critical Habitat for Such Species

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
05/08/1984 Ozark/Virginia Big-eared Bats (2 spp.) View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 2 of 2)
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
03/06/2012 77 FR 13251 13253 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Nine Northeastern Species. Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • 01/29/2007 72 FR 4018 4019 Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Ten Listed Northeastern Species
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    08/20/2008 Virginia Big-eared Bat 5-Year Review

    » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 3 of 3)
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    11/30/1979 44 FR 69206 69208 ETWP; Listing of Virginia and Ozark Big-eared Bats as Endangered Species and Critical Habitat Determination Final Rule Final designated
    08/30/1979 44 FR 51144 51145 ETWP; Reproposal of Critical Habitat for the Virginia Big-eared Bat Proposed Rule Not Required
    12/02/1977 42 FR 61290 61292 Proposed Endangered Listing and Critical Habitat Determination for the Virginia and Ozark Big-eared Bats; 42 FR 61290 61292 (Plecotus townsendii virginianus, Plecotus townsendii ingens) Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more) (Showing 1 of 1)
    HCP Plan Summaries
    Beech Ridge Wind Power HCP

    » Petitions

    No petition findings have been published for the Virginia Big-Eared bat, Entire.

    » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: February 14, 2013