MEDFORD, Ore. — This could be the fourth year in a row that an Oregon bat wins the Bureau of Land Management’s Bat Beauty Contest.
Oregon bat “Ryan Goswing” is taking on Batty White in a head-to-head contest.
Voting is open today, Oct. 30, until 11 p.m. PT, on the BLM website.
Ryan Goswing is a pallid bat. The pale-furred creature is native across North America, from western Canada to central Mexico. Pallid bats are best known for their large ears, which are critical for their ground-gleaning hunting.
Hoary Potter, last year’s national winner (courtesy of BLM)
Batty White and Ryan Goswing have already taken out other bat competitors, including Chappell Flown, Dolly Batton and Guano Reeves.
READ ALSO: Hoary Potter dazzles, winning Oregon its third consecutive Bat Beauty Contest
Ryan Goswing could be the fourth Oregon bat in a row to win the crown. Previous winners include Hoary Potter and the Guano of Fire (hoary bat, 2024), William ShakespEAR (Townsend’s big-eared bat, 2023) and Barbara (canyon bat, 2022).