The hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) is one of the largest and arguably most beautiful bats in the Americas. Its body fur is long, dense and largely grey-brown, with white tips to the hairs that give this species the frosted or ‘hoary’ appearance for which it is named. There is a distinct patch of yellow fur on the throat, and white patches on the wrists and shoulders.

The ears of the hoary bat are short and rounded, and are edged in black. The tail membrane of this species is heavily furred. Female hoary bats usually average slightly larger than the males.

Like many bats, the hoary bat uses echolocation for navigation and to detect its prey. However, unlike in most bat species, the echolocation sounds made by the hoary bat are often audible to humans.