Congress Avenue Bridge Mexican free-tailed bats

The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge hosts a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats whose nightly summer emergences (roughly March–November) attract large crowds and frequent viral videos. The bridge colony is considered the largest urban bat colony in North America and has been the subject of documentaries and social media posts highlighting the mass flights. The emergence is predictable enough that local tour operators and wildlife groups provide viewing guidance and educational information.