(Odd Request) ~ Bats the size of a yellow canary

Status
Not open for further replies.

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
355
Website
mimistromauthor.com
I am planning a supernatural story in which the FMC can turn into a yellow canary. Her husband (the MMC) is a vampire and can turn into a bat.

I need a bat species that is around the size of a yellow canary. a yellow canary is 4-6 inches and has a wingspan of 7.8-9.1 inches. I was thinking a vampire bat not because he's a vampire, but because of the size. A common vampire bat is 3.5 inches and has a 7 inch wingspan.

But is a vampire turning into a vampire bat too predictable? Do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks.
 

lonestarlibrarian

senior bean supervisor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
756
Reaction score
169
If you have a supernatural entity who can supernaturally change forms--- are you confined to making him a genuine real-life species? Because if someone takes the trouble to specify a scientific species, I'm going to expect the rest of his profile to complement the characteristics of the species are. So for someone who turns into a vampire bat--- vampire bats have a range over large portions of Central and South America, so I would associate that more with guy named Don Alfonso de Lupita y Luna, whose ancestral home is amidst the jungles of the Yucatan or who comes from an ancient Amazonian plantation, rather than someone who's from Eastern Europe or is thoroughly American and is lacking those explicit cultural roots.

But at the same time, having a thoroughly American vampire--- if he turns into an Eastern small-footed myotis, that's a bit more oddly specific that it starts being clunky, in the effort to superimpose a make-believe supernatural species with a real-life scientific species.

If you do want a real-life bat, the bumblee bat (aka Kitti's hog-nosed bat) is slightly smaller than a canary, is 1.1-1.3 inches long and has a wingspan of 6-7 inches. It lives in Thailand, etc.

Canyon bats live in Oklahoma, among other places, and are 2.5-3.5 inches long, with a 7-9 inch wingspan.

Eastern small-footed bats and Western small-footed bats are also North American, are 3-3.5 inches long, and have an 8-10 inch wingspan.

Tricolored bats are 3-3.5 inches long, with an 8-10 inch wingspan.

Yuma bats are 3-3.5 inches long, with a 9-10 inch wingspan.

Indiana bats are 3-4 inches long, with a 9-11 inch wingspan.

A little brown myotis is 2.5-4 inches long, with a 9-11 inch wingspan.

But if you were to use a real-life species, it would be cool to work in characteristics pertinent to the species into the characteristics of your character, rather than only having it be relevant due to size. :)
 

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
355
Website
mimistromauthor.com
But if you were to use a real-life species, it would be cool to work in characteristics pertinent to the species into the characteristics of your character, rather than only having it be relevant due to size. :)

Well the vampire comes from a island I made up and I haven't really thought about where it is located in terms with the real world, but cool idea.
 

frimble3

Heckuva good sport
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
11,574
Reaction score
6,396
Location
west coast, canada
I don't know that a vampire turning into a vampire bat is 'too predictable', it just seems logical. It doesn't matter what kind of bat he turns into, most people, not being experts, are going to call it a vampire bat.
If this a made-up island, with supernatural creatures, why overcomplicate at this stage?
Just call it a 'bat', and let people jump to their own conclusions.
 

Bolero

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
1,080
Reaction score
106
Location
UK
Can bats fly during the day?
Can canaries see well enough to fly at night?

I don't know the answer to these questions, but think you should check.
 

Albedo

Alex
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
7,363
Reaction score
2,924
Location
A dimension of pure BEES
I don't know that a vampire turning into a vampire bat is 'too predictable', it just seems logical. It doesn't matter what kind of bat he turns into, most people, not being experts, are going to call it a vampire bat.
If this a made-up island, with supernatural creatures, why overcomplicate at this stage?
Just call it a 'bat', and let people jump to their own conclusions.
On the other hand, having a vampire who turns into a non-vampire bat that just eats fruit or insects would be funny.
 

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
355
Website
mimistromauthor.com
I don't know that a vampire turning into a vampire bat is 'too predictable', it just seems logical. It doesn't matter what kind of bat he turns into, most people, not being experts, are going to call it a vampire bat.
If this a made-up island, with supernatural creatures, why overcomplicate at this stage?
Just call it a 'bat', and let people jump to their own conclusions.

Well. The island is inhabited by humans who know nothing of the supernatural. But I think you are right. Most people know nothing about bats (I don't know much to be honest). I'll just call it a bat.

Bolero - Well, they are supernatural so maybe their magic lets them well in the day or night? I'll have to ponder that.
 

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,617
Reaction score
7,296
Location
Wash., D.C. area
I've seen bats flying in the day, although this is only if they are disturbed or an hour or so before dark. However, this doesn't mean bats can't be diurnal, and if magical you can get away with whatever you want. However, keep the readers' expectations in mind. Stretch things too much, and people will start losing interest. To pull an example from high fantasy, an elf doing too many un-elfly things draws criticism. Deviate enough, the question arises as to why a different creature wasn't selected from the start.
 

Bolero

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
1,080
Reaction score
106
Location
UK
The alternative is to check whether canaries have good enough eyesight to fly at night, and if not, would a nocturnal small bird do?
I do know that chickens have terrible night sight and that a blackbird that had flown in through an open window in the dusk, wouldn't fly out of the well lit house into the gloom.
 

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
355
Website
mimistromauthor.com
The alternative is to check whether canaries have good enough eyesight to fly at night, and if not, would a nocturnal small bird do?
I do know that chickens have terrible night sight and that a blackbird that had flown in through an open window in the dusk, wouldn't fly out of the well lit house into the gloom.

Well, she kind of has to be a daytime bird because her species represents the sun and daylight. I chose a canary because they're yellow (like the sun). I might do more research on canaries.
 

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
9,883
Reaction score
7,171
Location
Virginia
Does it matter if the canary bird is wild or domestic? Because domesticated (caged) canaries can be bright yellow, but wild canaries, particularly the female, are not. If you want a wild bird species in which the female is yellow, then the yellow warbler might be your best bet. If you want a wild species that is traditionally associated with dawn/daylight, then the lark would be a good candidate. It's not yellow, but almost every variant of the species is known for its elaborate song.

Regarding bird vision: few passerine species (perching birds or songbirds) see well at night. If you want your transformed husband and wife team to be able to fly together at night, you'll probably have to do some kind of magical hand-waving to make that happen.
 

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
355
Website
mimistromauthor.com
Does it matter if the canary bird is wild or domestic? Because domesticated (caged) canaries can be bright yellow, but wild canaries, particularly the female, are not. If you want a wild bird species in which the female is yellow, then the yellow warbler might be your best bet. If you want a wild species that is traditionally associated with dawn/daylight, then the lark would be a good candidate. It's not yellow, but almost every variant of the species is known for its elaborate song.

Regarding bird vision: few passerine species (perching birds or songbirds) see well at night. If you want your transformed husband and wife team to be able to fly together at night, you'll probably have to do some kind of magical hand-waving to make that happen.

Hmm. The yellow warbler could work. I'll do more research. Thanks.
 

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 17, 2012
Messages
3,539
Reaction score
429
Location
Floral City, FL
Had a friend who raised dwarf fruit bats that were maybe a little smaller. The small brown bats we have here are probably just about right. Damn things don't eat mosquitos though!

Or make them a Vampire Ground Finch. :)

Jeff
 
Status
Not open for further replies.