Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) sees frequent flyers every day, but recently, we’ve started celebrating a different kind of frequent flyer - bats!! Now, visitors to AUS can join us in honoring our local airborne wildlife by exploring our new bat wall, a vibrant 200-foot display located on the departures level of the Barbara Jordan Terminal.

This colorful wall wrap transforms the otherwise plain white construction walls along our Atrium Infill project into a lively, educational journey. Stretching along the corridor that connects the eastern and western ends of the departures level, the installation turns the space into an eye-catching experience. Since AUS shares its skies with these iconic winged neighbors, AUS was excited to partner with Austin Bat Refuge to bring them front and center for travelers to enjoy.

With 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats flying out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge nightly between March and November, it’s no surprise they’ve become one of Austin’s most iconic attractions. But did you know the city is home to seven other bat species, each with its own unique personality and habitat?

To celebrate all the bat species that call Austin home, AUS teamed up with Austin Bat Refuge, a local nonprofit dedicated to bat rescue and rehabilitation. The organization provided photos and detailed descriptions of each species’ personality and habitat, which AUS then transformed into six-foot cartoon-style stickers, each depicting a different species in its natural habitat. The result? A display that’s both educational AND family friendly!

During a recent visit to the AUS bat wall, Lee Mackenzie, manager of Austin Bat Refuge, shard his favorite night flyer: the Seminole bat. These bats live in evergreen trees and disguise themselves from predators by hanging off branches like pinecones. Mackenzie appreciated how the Seminole bat was illustrated to capture this unique trait.

Mackenzie also shared that Austin Bat Refuge has collected 12 years of bat flight data using the same radar meteorologists use. According to the radar, AUS experiences a nightly “bloom” of bats!

Dianne Odegard, executive director of Austin Bat Refuge, noted that this is the organization’s first collaboration on a public art installation. Historically, they’ve provided educational programs with institutions such as the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Austin Public Library and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum.

For those who want to experience the bats in person and learn more about bat flights, Austin Bat Refuge hosts a public education table on Congress Avenue Bridge on Saturday evenings during the summer. For the latest estimated bat flight schedule, visit the Austin Bat Refuge website.

Wondering what’s behind the bat wall at AUS? It’s an active construction site for our Atrium Infill project. The Atrium Infill, one of the many projects under the airport’s Journey With AUS expansion program, will provide passengers with 12,000 additional square feet of queuing space that will expedite security screening, bag check in and passenger processing. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026, so our bats are here to stay a bit longer!

Austin Bat Refuge Manager Lee Mackenzie (far right) and Austin Bat Refuge Executive Director Dianne Odegard (second from right) alongside two of their volunteers.

For more details on the Atrium Infill and other Journey With AUS expansion program projects, visit our expansion and development webpage!