Buffalo Bat Habitat

06/15/2026

We are excited to announce our new series - where we introduce the Board of Directors for Buffalo Bat Habitat! Meet Brian Caughel, our founder, and President, whose strength and willpower have made our entire mission possible.

Literally, he is incredibly strong and handles most of the physically demanding jobs, like bat house installations and exclusions. But that's nothing compared to his vision and tenacity in fundraising and growing the nonprofit. Thank you, Brian! We are lucky to have you as a friend and coworker.

Brian's Bat Habit Origin Story:

I formed my bat habit back in the mid 1990s, in Sodus, NY. In the summer, my kids and I liked to sit around a bonfire and gaze up at night sky. As darkness approached, dozens of bats flew around us in an aerobatic show.
Some actually flew into the thermal plume of the fire, shooting high into the air until they circled back down and into the plume again. They were like kids on an amusement park ride.

A few years ago, I tried to recreate that experience for my grandkids. We sat around a nice fire in the backyard, located on the edge of undeveloped wetlands: a great spot for bats, I thought. While the kids enjoyed the Smores and pop, we saw no bats. Not one.

Disappointed and curious, I started investigating. It didn’t take me long to find out about White-nose Syndrome and how it ravaged bat populations here in western New York. I was shocked that I hadn’t heard of it before, since its onset in 2006. I was oblivious to what had happened to our bats. I just assumed they were still there, because I hadn’t looked for them.

I consider myself a bat enthusiast. Since founding Buffalo Bat Habitat in 2024, I’ve learned a tremendous amount bats and I’m astounded by how much there is to learn and is still unknown about them. I don’t have the professional background or credentials you might expect from someone who starts a bat conservation organization: I’m a retired software guy and current home renovator guy. Fortunately, I have great passion for Buffalo Bat Habitat’s mission and a knack for surrounding myself with really awesome people. 🦇

06/12/2026

What do you do when you’re a bat conservation organization, and you’re invited to participate in the Vampiric Night Faire? After all, the story of Dracula and other vampire fantasies have done much to sow fear and misperception of bats. Well, we asked ourselves, “What would Merlin* do?” And lo, the answer presented itself: he would make friends with the Vampires!

So, we said yes to the vampire folks, under one condition: we perform a bat house installation as part of evening festivities! Of course, we had to make a spectacle of it, in keeping with the vibe of the event. At the end, many people thanked us for the show, saying it was moving, informative and entertaining.

Which gave us an idea: Let’s take this show on the road! Are you looking for something unique to make your corporate picnic, family reunion, Quinceanera, or baby gender reveal truly memorable? Buy a bat house from Buffalo Bat Habitat, and for an additional donation, we’ll install it in our own particular … idiom. You can even take part in the fun!

Here’s a quick glimpse of the performance!

For the full installation ceremony, check out

https://youtu.be/s1mI4MFGRkE

* Merlin Tuttle, the father of American bat conservation. See mtbc.org

06/12/2026

05/29/2026

Last night, we assisted in the release of 5 big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) that had been under the professional care of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. This video was taken at the Everwild Land Trust Bentley Nature Preserve near Jamestown, NY.

These bats were all taken in over the winter months. None of them were injured. They just got lost in an attic or crawlspace and couldn't be released outside due to the frozen conditions. Now that temperatures are above 55F, they can be set free to do their thing (like control insect populations).

These releases were conducted under the supervision of wildlife experts licensed to do this work in NYS. No one should ever handle a wild animal unless they are trained and authorized to do so.

We had a blast setting these beautiful critters free and watching them fly off, happy and content.

05/28/2026

Happy Thursday! Something exciting in store for this evening…we just can’t ‘release’ any details yet…stay tuned! 🦇

05/25/2026

Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all our veterans and especially those who gave their lives for our country.

05/20/2026

There's always next year. Batfalo forever! ✊🏼🦇