Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge bat emergence

The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge is home to a large colony of Mexican free-tailed bats that emerge each evening from under the bridge at dusk, a widely observed urban wildlife spectacle in Austin. The bats live in the bridge’s crevices and the nightly emergence is visible from the bridge deck, the river banks, and nearby viewing points along Lady Bird Lake. Local guides and the City of Austin note the seasonal timing and popular viewing practices for visitors and residents.