big brown bat

noun

: an insectivorous medium-sized bat (Eptesicus fuscus) having brownish fur that is found from southern Canada to northern South America and that often roosts in buildings

Examples of big brown bat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More work will be needed, however, to determine just how exceptional big brown bats’ hearing is, says Kalina Davies, an evolutionary biologist who got her Ph.D. at Queen Mary University of London and was not involved with the work. Byhannah Richter, science.org, 30 July 2024 Most small mammals are short-lived, but compared with mice of similar stature, the big brown bat lives up to five times as long, sometimes topping out at 19 years old. Byhannah Richter, science.org, 30 July 2024 Little brown bat populations declined 89%, big brown bats dropped 47%, and Indiana bats saw the smallest effects, dropping 15%. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2024 Five minutes later, a big brown bat (mouse-size, despite its species name) was the first to be trapped. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024 Little brown bat populations declined 89%, big brown bats dropped 47%, and Indiana bats saw the smallest effects dropping 15%. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 The majority of bat species live more than three times longer than other small mammals, with the big brown bat living for nearly 20 years in the wild, while one bat in Siberia was even found to have lived to 41. Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Advertisement The findings, published in the journal Biological Conservation, identified major threats to over 1,000 species including iconic and threatened bald eagles, brown pelicans, big brown bats and common loons. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2023 For example, of the six species most affected by WNS include the big brown, little brown, northern long-eared, tricolored, eastern small-footed, and Indiana bats, all, except the big brown bat, are listed as endangered under the Connecticut Endangered Species Act. Staff, Hartford Courant, 25 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big brown bat was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near big brown bat

Cite this Entry

“Big brown bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20brown%20bat. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on big brown bat

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!