DESCRIPTION: Formerly Leptonycteris curasoae. Also, formerly Sanborn's Long-Nosed Bat (Leptonycteris sanborni). Wt=15-25g, L=2.75-3.25" (69-84mm). Overall tan with dark wings. The only bat that has a noseleaf and no visible tail.
NATURAL HISTORY: Feeds mostly on nectar and pollen (augmented by cactus fruit when available). Nocturnal. Migratory, following the blooming of cardon, organ pipe cactus, and saguaro north from Mexico into AZ and NM in the late Spring and then following the blooming of agave south back into Mexico in the Fall. Mating likely occurs before migrating north. Upon arrival here, the females form huge maternity colonies in caves and abandoned mines, where they give birth to their single offspring. Meanwhile, males form groups of only a few individuals. These bats often form feeding flocks that spend the night alternately feeding and roosting (in small caves or human structures) together. The Lesser Long-Nosed Bat is listed as Threatened in both Mexico and the U.S. See Bat Facts for more.