PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Portland’s own pallid bat named “Ryan GosWING” just took home top prize in the Bureau of Land Management’s 2026 Bat Beauty Contest.
With a handsome smile not unlike that of his on-screen namesake, Ryan GosWING racked up the votes during the beauty contest held leading up to Halloween in celebration of Bat Week.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said this is the fourth year in a row that an Oregon contestant has flown to the top of the annual contest.
“Thank you to everyone across Oregon and Washington who came out to support Ryan GosWING,” said Sarah P. Bennett, a BLM ‘spooksperson.’ “With four wins a row, I think we can confidently call this a dynasty—or a ‘cauldron’ the case of bats.”
While celebrating the peak of the spooky season, this contest also serves as a reminder about the important role bats play in the local ecosystems.
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“They help control insect populations, pollinate plants, and disperse seeds, making them valuable residents of public lands across the country,” the BLM said.
The agency also highlighted the estimated $3 billion in pest control services that bats offer for American agriculture, saying pallid bats like GosWING hunt by sound, “using their adorably large ears to listen for insects moving on the ground.”
You can find more about the BLM’s efforts to help wildlife habitats for bats, as well as more info on the other contestants, on the agency’s website.