Austin Bat Refuge is the only organization in our nine-county area dedicated exclusively to bat rehabilitation, conflict resolution, and education.
From rehabilitating injured bats to educating the public at the Congress Avenue Bridge, everything we do is rooted in a deep respect for these irreplaceable animals.
We provide expert medical care and rehabilitation for injured, sick, and orphaned bats - then return them to the wild when they're ready.
Learn more →Bats in your home or business? We find humane solutions that protect both people and bats - without resorting to extermination.
Get help →We bring the wonder of bats to schools, parks, and the public — particularly at our education table at Congress Avenue Bridge on weekends.
Programs →Since 2011, we've monitored nightly bat activity across Central Texas using NOAA NEXRAD radar — tracking the Significant Bat Area in real time.
View radar →Home to up to 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats — the largest urban bat colony in the world.
1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge nightly from the world's most famous urban bat colony — Congress Avenue Bridge, Austin, Texas
20 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge nightly — the world’s largest bat colony, 40 miles from Austin
Dianne Odegard and Lee Mackenzie founded Austin Bat Refuge in December 2015 with the mission of fostering respect for bats through education, conflict-resolution, rehabilitation, and release. Since then, they have taken in thousands of orphaned or injured bats; built a flight cage where rescued bats can safely recover; held education programs for Master Naturalists, school children, tourists, and more; and grown a network of bat advocates across Central Texas.
About Us →Austin Bat Refuge is the only organization in our nine-county area providing this care. Every dollar you give sponsors bat rehabilitation, education at the Congress Avenue Bridge, and programs that help communities coexist with wildlife.
Each spring, baby bats called pups are born across Central Texas. Here's how we care for orphaned and injured pups — and how you can help.
Observers at the bridge this past August witnessed what may be one of the largest single-night emergences on record at this legendary Austin landmark.
Our nightly NEXRAD radar monitoring has now spanned 14 seasons. We look back at the patterns, the migrations, and the surprises from the past year.
Our education table at Congress Avenue Bridge is staffed entirely through donations. Help us keep the wonder alive.
Donate to Austin Bat Refuge →