Time your visit. Although the bats begin to move into the Congress Avenue Bridge by March, they only have their babies in June or July. As a result, the swarm is best seen in August or late summer, as the mothers and pups leave in tandem – all 1.5 million of them.
Arrive well before sunset, to ensure that you don`t miss the festivities and can find a decent bat-watching spot. You may also want to bring a blanket and/or umbrella.
Select your viewing spot. Although you can watch from the bridge`s sidewalks, there is also a public viewing area by the offices of the Austin-American Statesman, on the southeast end of Congress Avenue. You can also park at the nearby Shoreline Bar and Grill.
Get over your fear of bats, if you haven`t already. Bats are a wonderful and sometimes adorable part of the ecosystem, and only pose a real threat to humans when they contract rabies. Furthermore, each bat devours pounds of mosquitoes every night.
At sunset, watch as a massive flock of bats streams out from underneath the bridge and takes off into the night. The Congress Avenue Bridge is the largest urban bat colony in the world – and it has become a beloved landmark for good reason.
