Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Pallid bat drinking water from a desert waterhole

Arizona has 27 species of bats, the second greatest in the United States. Each evening most bats leave their daytime roosts to get a drink of water before they begin to forage for insects and other pray. This is a pallid bat dropping to the water for its first drink. From what i understand all bats drink while still flying. they seem to just slam their mouths into the water and get what water they can. i believe that this bat took three successive drinks before leaving the waterhole.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Quartzite, Arizona, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Copyright: © Bruce Taubert