Mammals of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat - Corynorhinus rafinesquii
Vespertilionidae Members:
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Photo by: E. Corey
Distribution In NC, has a bimodal range -- mountains/foothills and Coastal Plain, but absent in nearly all of the Piedmont. The Coastal Plain population is the subspecies C. rafinesquii macrotis, whereas the mountain population belongs to the nominate C. r. rafinesquii subspecies.

Found only in the Southeast, ranging north to IN and VA, and south to the Gulf Coast and eastern TX.
Abundance Rare to uncommon in the Coastal Plain, but generally rare in the mountains, where it is found mainly in the southern half of the province. Very rare east to the western Piedmont (Alexander County). Though mist-netting efforts have added a great number of counties to the range map, numbers netted always seem to be very low and it should not be assumed to be numerous in that province.
Seasonal Occurrence Generally hibernates in winter, though there area few midwinter mist-netting records near the coast. Non-migratory.
Habitat The Coastal Plain population occurs mainly in swamps and bottomland forests, where they roost in hollow trees, under loose bark, old buildings, and beneath bridges, at least in the warmer months. The mountain subspecies roosts mainly in mines, but less so in abandoned buildings and rarely in trees and caves. However, it is not typically considered a cave-dweller, unlike the Virginia Big-eared Bat. Permanent water is usually present in the habitat, over which they typically forage.
Behavior Feeds at night over water and over forests, emerging later than most bats. Roosts in moderate groups.
Comments As with many bat species not already Federally listed, this species has been proposed for listing, but such listing is not likely, as it is not overly rare within its range. Mist-netting has helped to better understand its range and numbers in the Coastal Plain. Numbers up to several hundred individuals have been found in a few abandoned mines in the southern mountains. Even so, the mountain subspecies (rafinesquii) is listed as State Threatened; the Coastal Plain subspecies (macrotis) is State Special Concern.
Origin Native
NC List Official
State Rank S3
State Status SC
Global Rank G3G4
Federal Status
subspecies Corynorhinus rafinesquii macrotis (State Special Concern), Corynorhinus rafinesquii rafinesquii (State Threatened)

Corynorhinus r. macrotis is the subspecies found in the Coastal Plain, whereas C. r. rafinesquii is the form found in the mountains.
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NC Map
Map depicts all counties with a report (transient or resident) for the species.
Click on county for list of all database records for species in that county.