Distinguishing common food-contaminating bat hairs from certain feather barbules

Differences are described between common food-contaminating vespertilionid bat hairs (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) and similar-appearing downy feather barbules of passeriform birds, including cuticular scales, pigment distribution, and basal characteristics. Fifteen imported food samples analyzed over a 1 1/2 year period were contaminated with these bat hairs.