Waugh Drive Bat Colony

Did you know that Houston, Texas has our very own bat bridge?  That's right; Mexican Bats are living underneath the Waugh Drive Bridge near Buffalo Bayou.  Viewing hundreds of bats taking flight at sunset is quite an experience.

Family Bat Nights are held every Thursday, Friday & Saturday evening through the Labor Day weekend. To hear a brief presentation on the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony, please arrive 20-30 minutes before sunset at the site. Bat Team Volunteers from the Houston Parks & Recreation Department, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, The Park People, Texas Master Naturalists, Houston Zoo, Buffalo Bayou Partnership & the Bayou Preservation Association are available at the bridge to answer questions about the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony & to assist with viewing.

The Waugh Drive bats prefer to emerge from the eastern side of the bridge. The Waugh Bat Team volunteers recommend the following spots for optional bat viewing.

1) The Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Observation Deck, corner of Waugh Drive & Allen Parkway, directly across from the American General building. Start here to watch the bats swirling beneath the bridge prior to their emergence.



2) The gently sloping, grassy northeast bayou bank, corner of Memorial Drive & Waugh Drive in Buffalo Bayou Park.




3) The Waugh Drive Bridge sidewalk, standing against the railing on the east side of the bridge, facing the Downtown Houston skyline. Please use caution & be ever mindful of the traffic, pedestrians, and bikers utilizing the bridge as well.



4) The Gus M. Wortham Memorial Fountain along Allen Parkway, east of Waugh Drive. The fountain is lovingly known by Houstonians as the “Dandelion Fountain” due to its shape & design. If you stand along the sidewalk near the bayou tree line, the bats often fly directly overhead.


Click here for more information on the Waugh Drive Bat Colony.  It's sure to be a fun experience!

P.S.  Don’t stand beneath the bridge because the bats tend to void wastes in preparation for flight.