10 to 12 Million Mexican free-tailed Bats Ascend into the Evening Sky before sunset at Frio Cave near Concan Texas..The Official Correct Name is Brazilian free-tailed Bats. In Texas they prefer to call them Mexican free- tailed Bats which is a Subspecies. This is the second largest bat population in the world, but is the largest bat population in the world open to the public!

The Bats make their ascent into the evening sky at Sunset. Also at the Bat Viewing Area you may see Cave Swallow, Rock & Canyon Wren, & maybe a Ringed-tail cat or Skunk entering the cave to catch dinner. (we didn't) Also several species of Raptor dive into the exiting swirl of Bats. This is a maternity cave where the bats return each spring to mate & give birth to their pups.

Unfortunately the Bats fly south for the winter & are only here from mid March thru September. The Frio Bat Cave has a history - the Bat Guano was mined during the Civil War for Confederate black powder. The rocked furnace pipe used in drying the Guano still sits at the cave entrance.

It also smells as they come out. They emerge for over 30 minutes! We didn't stay that long.

http://www.hillcountryadventures.com/frio_bat_flight_overview.html