Some bats hibernate, some migrate, and some do both, depending on the species and where it lives. The National Park Service (page updated October 17, 2024) explains that cold weather drives insects away, so bats either settle in to hibernate or travel to warmer areas with more food, and in mild places such as Florida some may be able to stay year round.
For anyone hosting a bat habitat, the practical consequence is that winter is usually the quiet season. Bat houses are typically designed for summer maternity colonies, so in most places an empty habitat in January is expected. The sections below cover who does what, where bats go, and what to do with your habitat between now and spring.
Do bats hibernate or migrate?
Both happen, and the split follows the species. This table lines up three winter strategies against what each one means for a bat habitat in your yard.
| Winter strategy | Bats that do it | Where they spend the winter | What it means for your habitat | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hibernate | Little brown bat, big brown bat | Caves, mines and rock crevices. Big brown bats also use buildings, including attics, crawl spaces and walls. | Usually an empty habitat. Bat houses are typically designed for summer maternity colonies. | National Park Service (2024); Penn State Extension (2025); WCS Canada Western Bat Program (2025) |
| Migrate | Hoary bat, silver-haired bat, Mexican free-tailed bat | Further south. Hoary bats gather along the coasts and in northern Mexico, silver-haired bats move to northern Mexico, and Mexican free-tailed bats that summer in Carlsbad Caverns winter in Mexico. | These bats leave their summer range for the winter. | National Park Service (2024); Three Rivers Park District (2019) |
| Both, or neither | Eastern red bat; bats in mild climates | Northern eastern red bats migrate to the southern parts of their range and hibernate there, and some come out on warm days to feed. In mild places such as Florida, bats may stay year round. | Winter activity depends on how mild your winters are. | Three Rivers Park District (2019); National Park Service (2024) |
The WCS Canada Western Bat Program (2025) says bat houses are typically designed to attract maternity colonies in summer, and that bats migrating through an area or fattening up for hibernation tend to prefer cooler roosts where they can use torpor during the day. Torpor, per the National Park Service, is the energy-saving state in which a bat's heart rate, breathing and body temperature drop.
How does bat hibernation work?
A hibernating bat spends weeks or months in torpor. The National Park Service reports that its heart rate falls from 200 to 300 beats per minute to about 10, and its energy costs drop by about 98%. Bats choose caves, mines, rock crevices and other spots with the right temperature and humidity, and those places are called hibernacula. Some species, little brown bats among them, hibernate for more than six months.
Hibernation differs from sleep. Bat Conservation International (February 25, 2025) notes that a hibernating bat's body temperature drops close to that of its roost, in some cases hovering near freezing, and that bats take periodic awake breaks during which they return to normal metabolism and breathing. Each of those breaks costs fat reserves.
Big brown bats are the species most likely to turn up in a house in winter. Penn State Extension (updated October 27, 2025) says they are more solitary than little brown bats and more likely to hibernate in an attic, crawl space or wall, and that a bat can wake in winter to move around or adjust to a change in temperature.
Which bats migrate, and where do they go?
Most tree-roosting species, hoary bats among them, migrate south for the winter when insects become scarce, according to the National Park Service. In the fall, hundreds of hoary bats from across the U.S. gather along the coasts and in northern Mexico. Mexican free-tailed bats that summer in Carlsbad Caverns also winter in Mexico.
Distance varies by species. Three Rivers Park District (November 4, 2019) describes silver-haired bats as summering in southern Alaska and Canada before moving to northern Mexico, while northern eastern red bats travel to the southeastern U.S. and hibernate there.
Where do bats go in winter if you only see them in summer?
They have moved to a cave, a mine, a rock crevice or a building, or they have traveled south. In Minnesota, for example, Three Rivers Park District reports that bats which hibernate locally leave parks for nearby caves or human-made structures, with hibernation usually running from around October or November until March, April or May. Your dates will shift with your climate.
What happens to a bat habitat in winter?
In most places a bat habitat goes quiet in winter. Bat Conservation International (bat house guidelines, updated October 7, 2025) points out that bats are very loyal to a roost once they have chosen one, and that individual bats or small groups may use a bat house for only a night or two, so it can be hard to tell whether bats have visited. The same page says nobody should disturb a bat house after it is installed, and advises against flip-top boxes that can be opened.
What should you do with your bat habitat this winter?
Winter calls for one walk-around, and not much more.
- Leave it where it is, and leave it closed. Bat Conservation International advises against opening a bat house, because a bat inside could be startled.
- Check it from the ground once the bats have left in autumn. The WCS Canada Western Bat Program recommends inspecting for damage, wasps and cleanliness at that point, and Bat Conservation International says any upkeep should happen while the house is unoccupied.
- Reseal and refinish the outside, never the inside. Bat Conservation International says to use exterior-grade, water-based paint or stain on the exterior only, and not to paint the interior. The WCS summary adds that re-staining and re-sealing seams should avoid the active season, with time for fumes to clear.
- Skip the lures. According to Bat Conservation International, guano, scents and sounds do not attract bats to a bat house.
If you are shopping for a habitat now, the WildYard Two-Chamber Bat House is handcrafted from cedar, comes with mounting hardware, and leaves the interior unpainted, in line with the interior-paint guidance above. If you need to move or remount one, our guide to hanging a bat house covers the hardware.
One fair expectation to set: no bat habitat comes with a move-in date. Bat Conservation International says bats may never move into a bat house, and that successful houses have taken as many as five years to be occupied. If yours is still empty after a season, our placement mistakes guide is the place to start.
What if a bat turns up inside your home in winter?
Penn State Extension says the bat is probably a big brown bat that woke from hibernation in an attic, crawl space or wall and found its way into the living space. Its advice is to wear gloves, place a container over the perched bat and slide it inside. If temperatures are above freezing, release the bat outside, where it can find a new place to hibernate, such as under bark or in a tree hole. If it is well below freezing, keep the bat in the container overnight and release it when daytime temperatures rise. If a bat appears during a prolonged deep freeze, Penn State suggests contacting a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who can care for rabies-vector species.
Bat Conservation International adds that it is never safe to touch a bat or other wildlife found on the ground.
If anyone may have been bitten or scratched, call your doctor or local health department.
Frequently asked questions
Do bats hibernate all winter?
They cycle through it. The National Park Service says bats can stay in torpor for up to a month at a time, with brief awake periods in between, and some species hibernate for more than six months.
Do bats leave bat houses in winter?
In most climates, expect few or none. The WCS Canada Western Bat Program says bat houses are typically designed for summer maternity colonies, and Bat Conservation International recommends doing upkeep in winter, after bats have left. In mild places such as Florida, the National Park Service says bats may be able to stay year round.
Where do bats go in the winter?
Hibernating species move to caves, mines, rock crevices and, for big brown bats, sometimes buildings. Migrating species such as hoary bats move south, per the National Park Service.
Do bats migrate?
Some do. The National Park Service names hoary bats and Mexican free-tailed bats as migrators, and says some species both migrate and hibernate.
Should I clean or open my bat house in winter?
Check the outside from the ground and leave the inside alone. Bat Conservation International says upkeep belongs in the period when the house is unoccupied, and that a house should not be opened or disturbed.
Will bats leave my attic in winter?
Not necessarily. Penn State Extension says big brown bats are the likeliest to hibernate in an attic, crawl space or wall, and that they may wake and wander during winter. Check with your state wildlife agency before you seal anything.
This article is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For a persistent or worsening symptom, or any concern about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
The short version
Bats hibernate, migrate or do both, depending on the species and the climate, so in most places a bat habitat is expected to sit empty in winter. Leave it closed, check it from the ground after the bats have gone, and refinish only the outside. For your next step, read where to put a bat house in your yard, or browse our bat houses.
Keep reading
- Where to Put a Bat House in Your Yard: The Complete Placement Guide
- How to Attract Bats to a Bat House: The Complete Guide
- Bat Box Placement Mistakes: Why Your Habitat Is Still Empty
- More from our bat guides
Written by The WildYard Editorial Team. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.
