Watching thousands of bats pour out from under a bridge is one of those experiences that sounds a little strange until you're standing there thinking, "Okay, this is actually really cool!" The Austin bat bridge on Congress Ave. is such a unique experience, and even better, it's completely free! It definitely isn't a secret, though. A lot of people gather to watch the bats emerge, so I'd recommend getting there early if having a good viewing spot matters to you. Personally, I prefer watching from under the bridge. From that vantage point, you can actually see the bats coming out from underneath, which is the part of the experience I enjoy most. Another plus is that this doesn't have to be your only activity while you're in the area. There are plenty of other places nearby to check out, so it's easy to make the bat viewing part of a larger outing rather than your entire plan. PROS * Completely free * Such a unique Austin experience * Fun to watch the bats actually emerge from beneath the bridge * Plenty of other places nearby to explore CONS * It draws a lot of people, so arriving early is important if you want a good spot BOTTOM LINE: This is one of those simple experiences that's worth doing at least once when you're in Austin. It costs nothing, it's memorable, and there's something pretty impressive about seeing that many bats emerge at once. I'd absolutely come back and do it again, preferably from underneath the bridge. read more

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Fun & FREE Austin Experience - watching thousands of bats fly out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset. The bats start flying out non-stop to hunt for food at around 7.30pm, summer time. The best viewing spots are under the bridge and along the east side of the trail. One thing to know, you can definitely smell the bats, it's part of the experience. I recommend pairing this with a walk on the Roy and Ann Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail along the river. You can enjoy the trail, see the Austin skyline, and then watch the bats take off. A great way to spend an evening in Austin. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

Austin has a slogan Keeping Austin Weird. It means Austin is unique and wonderful. Watching the 1.bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge is one of Austin's most iconic experiences. Just before sunset, millions of Mexican free‑tailed bats stream into the sky in a mesmerizing spiral that lasts 20-40 minutes. It's completely free, family‑friendly, and uniquely Austin. The best views are from the bridge itself, the Statesman Bat Observation Area below, or the riverwalk. Summer months (March through October) are peak season, with the largest numbers typically in August. Arrive early for parking and a good spot. A few recommendations... bring bug spray (not for the bats but for mosquitos), check the sunset time, and be patient...the bats come out when they come out. Smile. When they do fly out...wow,wow, WOW!!! It's like nothing you've seen before. read more

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Watching the bats under Congress Avenue Bridge is one of the signature Austin experiences that lives up to the hype. I happened to be downtown around sunset during SXSW, and as the sun started to set. you could see the crowds forming along the bridge in anticipation. Then thousands of bats poured out in a steady stream, flying out over Lady Bird Lake. The many bats with the beautiful sunset backdrop is definitely something to remember. There is a bit of stinky "bat smell," so be prepared for that. Totally free, and a unique experience definitely worth doing at least once if you're in Austin. read more

Apparently the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge is the largest urban bat colony in North America. The view is an amazing spectacle from what I read. I had to see what it was all about. We arrived on an early Saturday evening during sunset. The Mexican free tailed bats are located under the Congress Avenue Bridge in busting downtown Austin, Texas. Parking is accessible in the parking garages, designated parking lots, and street. There was plenty of tourists and few locals present on top of the bridge and under the bridge. An easy trail that leads down the path towards under the bridge is accessible from the Congress street. The view from the under the Congress Avenue Bridge is an amazing sight to behold. Apparently there are up to 1.5 million bats that emerge nightly at sunset. It was so fascinating to witness this in person. The small bats flying in unison reminded me of birds flying in migration. Overall we enjoyed our experience watching the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge. The location was nice and close proximity to other popular landmarks and restaurants. It was unique and a one of a kind experience. A must see when visiting Austin. read more

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A great place to watch the bats, especially when bringing out-of-town guests. The park area can get super crowded as you might imagine but get there early, take a blanket, and some snacks to watch the millions of bats flutter out once the sun goes down. It makes for a fun evening activity when my boyfriend and I want to take a leisurely walk from home. read more

Plan on going at least 60min before sunset. The bats during our experience came out at 7pm, when sunset was scheduled for 740pm. Parking is pay to park, see the photo. Sit on the grassy area (some local was playing his guitar and selling waters and squuzies). On the grassy spot be prepared for a few drops of "water" from the bats as they fly above you, look up and keep your mouth closed. Maybe 20min into the experience walk to the bridge top to get a different view. If you have to use the bathroom there is a hotel across the way. Would recommend this over the kayak and boat tours(which I was too late to book), pay for the $30 parking and show up early, its worth it. read more

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The bat emergence in Austin is one of those experiences that's heavily dependent on timing and expectations. They seem noticeably more active during warmer weather, and that definitely changes the energy of the viewing. For me, the better experience wasn't actually on top of the bridge, but underneath it. Hearing the bats start to wake up, those faint squeaks and movement overhead, felt more immersive than watching from above. They come out quickly, usually just after sunset while there's still a thin band of light left in the sky. It's fast, almost chaotic, and over sooner than most people expect. Watching the bats from Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge is fun for nature lovers and people who enjoy unusual urban wildlife moments. But if you're not already interested in that kind of thing, it can easily feel like a bit of a slow payoff for the wait. read more

Can't believe I saw thousands of bats, as advertised. Showed up around 6:30PM found a spot and people watched and bat watched. Fun atmosphere and we enjoyed. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

Have family visiting, and you can't visit Austin and not see the bats. So we stood on the Congress "bat" bridge around 8pm. As it got a little darker, the bats came out and they did not disappoint. They came out and it truly is a sight to see. You can see how they stick together and come out from under the bridge like a swarm. Really is a cool sight to see. Highly recommend. Trust me, you will not be the only ones on the bridge. Everyone does it, every night there is a huge crowd of people watching them. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Waiting for the bat to come out - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Fun free activity to do if you're in Austin! Crowds already post up well before the bats start emerging at sunset, so keep that in mind. When we went in September, it was a little past 7:45 PM for them to come out. You can view them from atop the bridge or at the bottom viewing areas at the sides. It is also super neat to see all the boats of all sizes just gather in the water to witness the bridge as well. Very cool! When the bats start emerging, my god DO THEY emerge. At first it's a trickle of a couple of them from one side and then it's a massive rush of them from the middle and then the other side. Some of them linger around the bridge and go back and forth too. I'll be honest, even with glasses on they kinda look like bugs or birds swarming around, but if you look closely enough or have binoculars, they distinctly have bat wings. I'd need someone more science minded to explain but from under the bridge I felt drops of water that I was praying wasn't guano or bat piss but my friends on top of the bridge felt it too??? Not sure what it was (hopefully not guano). Definitely worth doing at least once! read more

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This was totally worth it! A couple of local friends begrudgingly accompanied us, telling us to have low expectations, etc. We waited almost an hour. The bridge and park below were crowded with people, and there were boaters and kayaks waiting, too. Mostly a really chill vibe. 30 seconds before they emerged, a couple locals declared it a "bust" and that they weren't coming out that night. They were not correct. We watched for 30-plus minutes as the little beauties just swarmed and swarmed out from under the bridge and into the tree-line, headed along the riverbank to hunt. It smells like pee here. At the bridge. Also at the airport and lots of the water in Austin. I'm for keeping it weird, but I don't like that smell. Don't get me wrong, it's better than many big cities, smell-wise. The area of town where the bridge is located is pretty cool. "SoCo." Anyway, if you're thinking about checking out the largest urban bar colony in the continent, my suggestion is totally make time for it and go. It's a spectacle and we're so glad we went. And the grumbly local friends enjoyed it too! read more

I see more bats in my backyard every night. We were there 45 minutes to sunset, until 45 minutes after sunset. Very few bats, no more than a couple at a time. It must have been the wrong time of year.. read more

Here you'll find the largest urban bat colony in North America!! And today is International Bat Appreciation Day - so I'm finally getting around to writing this review haha!! It's also National Haiku Day - so I wrote my first ever haiku...about bats of course lol! Here goes: Consumer of mosquitoes How important you are Loved, feared, misjudged, and revered There are an estimated 1.5 million bats here seasonally - and seeing them fly out to feed is definitely an unforgettable experience. If you time it right and come see them in August at the end of their breeding season, you can see five huge plumes of bats pouring out from under the bridge and streaming out across the Austin skyline. I visited in mid April and got lucky with three large plumes! They emerged shortly after the sun went down and it lasted for a good hour. I made sure to come at dusk two nights in a row - the first night I just hung out in the park under the bridge along with hundreds of others - some standing up on the bridge. The second night I took one of the many boat tours offered that gets you out onto the Colorado River under the bridge and gives you a different perspective. Both were great - and I highly recommend the boat too bc they take you directly under the bridge and you can hear all the bats squeaking - very cool experience! There were also tons of people on kayaks. The bats that live here are Mexican Free-tailed Bats - and they eat approximately 10,000 to 30,000 lbs of insects each night!! Mostly mosquitoes too which is amazing bc Texas is just packed full of those horrid buzzing little beasts lol. Bats are also major pollinators. Definitely one of nature's great spectacles that everyone should try and see at least once - add it to your bucket list! read more

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This is unique situation fort the historic bridge with bay living space. The engineer who designed this bridge use a simple slab panel with gap between panel. The gap was big enough to become the perfect habitat for this type of bats. We were there at April and luckily to see the bat flights in the evening. When the sun set, the bats come out. The best part to see the bay is from the bottom of the bridge southeast of the bridge. You can take the boat tour for bat flying. The easy way is to see on the bridge or the park on the southeast of the bridge. Parking fee is steep for this area. There animal people using the red light to shine on the groove of the bridge and make the bat come out. I don't mint they do that so many people can see it. It is great to see the flight. Hundred of bats come out in the same time make this spectacular. read more

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The amazing Austin Bats! Arrived 30 minutes before sunset and sat under the congress street bridge on the grass to watch the famous Austin bats emerge. On Queue at sunset literally millions of beautiful bats emerge from their nests to fill the Austin night skies. Quite an amazing site and it's free. You can also view them on top of the bridge as well. It is important to get there before sunset otherwise you will miss it! Great fun! read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - The infamous Austin Bats emerging at sunset to fill the evening sky with their awesomeness! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

Our experience was so great! On our short trip to ATX, we picked the Saturday before we left as the day to check out the Bat Bridge. We went in with low hopes, as it was recorded online that that hadn't flown out in almost a week. Waited about 20 minutes and WOW did they fly out! Unique experience that was free and fun! I'm glad we went with low expectations and we're surprised versus high expectations and bummed. read more

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Watching the bats emerge at sunset was a really unique experience. Seeing them fly out in such large numbers was impressive, and the atmosphere around the bridge made it even more memorable. read more

I loved BUTSCAB! Oh, we're calling it Bats Under the South Congress Avenue Bridge now? OK. This was one of the must-dos on my Austin trip. We got there early and waited almost two hours. No bats. Could have been the rain (or even the eclipse), but I didn't mind because guess what celebrity was waiting at the bridge very near to us? Michael Peterson! I could have died! read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - I met Michael Peterson! I could have died! (Actually, he is very smart, charismatic, gracious and innocent) - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a fun thing to do while visiting downtown Austin. It's a cute area and it's full of tourists and there is a trail where lots of locals run and bike at night so it's not scary. You definitely have to pay attention as it's not swarms of bats that come out all at once but more like a handful every so often. We tried viewing it from on top of the bridge as well as below and I honestly couldn't tell you which is better. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

We learned that the bats come out after sunset in June, though this time could be earlier in other months such as August. Plan accordingly to their schedule or you'll be waiting a while like we did! They would be easier to see while the sun is up, but thanks to the red lights of the tourists boats, we still saw the thousands (if not millions) of bats beginning around 8:50pm mid-June. People gather above the Congress Ave bridge and at a bat viewing location southeast of the bridge along the river. There is occasionally a whiff of guano (bat poop) but the experience of seeing so many bats flying East from under the bridge to eat at night is spectacular. read more

We got there a bit late. It took longer than we expected to find parking near the bridge. So, we caught only the tail end of the bats and in the darkening night sky it became increasing difficult to see the bat stragglers leave their bridge roost. However, it was fun and free to see this Austin activity and enjoy the Austin skyline at dusk. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Hard to give a rating for this as it was a blow-out for me. Waited 1.5hr after sunset and didn't see anything and we had to leave for a dinner reservation. We went in late Sept. Also, the sun had set enough that it was so dark that I highly doubt you'd be able to tell it was a flock of bats. I think timing in the year plays a really big role in your view so do more research than me and figure out the best time of year. read more

We waited well beyond sunset - almost 1.5 hours after - was only able to see bats from my phone videos. Lighting was too dim from top of bridge. Would have better views had we gone down under bridge or even better if we rented the kayaks. Even though, it is an experience and would recommend to anyone visiting Austin. Lively group of spectators. read more

This was so cool BUT I highly suggest you view the bats from below the bridge and not from the bridge. We were told, if the bats have a big feeding one night they may not come out the next night. It was very cool to see them fly out. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Amazing! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

It took us 4 trips to Austin to finally get to see the bats but they are not flying out in thousands! They came in and out in the same level underneath. We wasted hours in the other 3 visits trying to get a glimpse of them bats! Lol we even missed dinners on 2 of the trips. Nothing really exciting- The view on the bridge are beautiful though so enjoy your bonding time together. I think I would rather do the boats or kayaking instead of waiting around under the bridge with thousands others read more

ITS FRICKIN BATS... no, it wasn't. we waited almost 2 hours and saw maybe 6 bats. the bugs on the water were horrid so we were hopeful to see a bit of a show ! nopeeee, i feel sorry for the people who paid to be on the boats. very cute location tho. read more

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One of the largest bat colonies in the country? Count Me in. We were worried that it was going to be too early in season but it got to almost 80 degree this day so we were hoping the bats would take this as a 'it is time to get out'... we got to see hundreds of bats, but all just very sporadically. Not hundred or thousands coming out in waves but still super cool to witness. Albeit a little creepy. Sure would be nice if they'd figure out a way install a few live cams so more people could check this out. Maybe charge a few bucks so we could help support the city? read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - It's starting to happen... - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

At dusk just before it gets dark out the bats head out to forage for food. They fly up from under the bridge and are a sight to behold. You will see people gathering above and below the bridge to take in the sight. The only thing to beware of is you will be hanging around for a bit so you should bring water, have patience, and a large colony of bats have a strong scent that you will encounter - masks help a bit for those who can't stomach it. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

Beautiful first site at Bat seeing! I have never seen them before and was shocked on how small they all were and they look a lot smaller in person. During May the bats tend to come out around 9 when it's pitch black outside and it was kind of difficult to see but still saw some (: These are the things that make Austin Have the slogan it does.. Keep Austin Weird! P.S - You can caught them from on top of the bridge or at the bottom. read more

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We stopped here as our last stop in Austin. We watched from under the bridge near the parking lot located at 305 S. Congress Ave.. you are supposed to pay for parking. We didn't. We took the gamble and was okay. We got there at 8:45 pm and was gone by 9:15 pm. We also had someone stay behind in the car. The bridge was full but the lot and the area next to the lot was not full. There was an ice cream truck and a man on a bike selling ice cream. At about 9:00pm some of the boats in the water placed a red light on the area of the bridge the bats emerged. You can definitely hear them chirping prior to their emergence. It was pretty spectacular to watch a few emerge and a steady stream of hundreds come out. We only watched for 10 minutes. My son watched from the bottom and raced to the bridge to get a different angle and said under the bridge was a better view. It was just one of those natural phenomenal experience we wanted to experience. read more

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Bats send out scouts at dusk; then they begin flying out when they feel they aren't at risk of predators. Most of the bats I saw were coming from the south side of the bridge at the beginning of the walk path. From the marker "FRIGGIN BATS" one can see the best view of the bats flying out for the night. Stay spooky Austin. read more

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I think I was a little Earley to watch the bat fly there were there but not to many more people them bats read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

My first time in Austin...this a beautiful city and downtown is a sprawling haven for great food, soulful music, lively people, and some friendly hat tippers... Everyone visiting Austin needs to come and see this awesome wonder. 1.5million bats coming out to feed. Mother Nature is beautiful and scary and am lucky enough to check this off my bucket list! Staying weird in Austin, thank you.... read more

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So much fun! We had to wait a good 40 minutes but it was worth it. A little hard to see at first. The crowd made it fun too, ooh-ing and ahh-ing read more

I'm pretty sure Gotham City is Austin, TX. Why wouldn't Batman not be from where the largest bat colony in the country is located? Hearing that this is the number 1 tourist attraction in Austin, I'd figure why not? My gf and I went to this viewing area underneath the bridge around 6:30PM to witness this pretty cool phenomena. There wasn't a swarm of them like you see in the pictures, but there were a few hundred flying in random directions you can witness. It might sound creepy at first, but it really isn't. You'll be surrounded by many other onlookers eagerly waiting to watch Batman arise from underneath the Congress Avenue Bridge. read more

This was a very unique and fun experience! Chris was our guide and did a great job getting us to the best place to see the bats.

My experience for witnessing the bat flights was just okay. The biggest problem was that they were so small in size...it was virtually impossible to get any decent photos of them up close. As I reflect on my photos...the swarm of bats coming out from underneath Congress Avenue Bridge appeared like a bunch of mosquitoes. I guess my expectations were too high for this unique happening here in Austin, Texas. I took a couple of videos of the bats flying but again they didn't really chirp and since this was happening during sunset...it was hard to see other than looking at a hurricane of tiny flying objects busting out into the night. Also, after the first 5 minutes of watching the bats flying out from under the bridge...the whole spectacle got pretty monotonous. In all, the entire waiting process with everyone standing along Congress Avenue Bridge and underneath it, all for one big moment...I questioned to myself..."so now what? Lol". Regardless, it's an interesting spectacle special to Austin and it's one of the most recommended free activities for those visiting Austin. I'd like to give a few background points about my time here at Congress Avenue Bridge (with and without the bats)..... - I never expected this...but from the bridge and looking towards downtown Austin...the city skyline was beautiful! Who would have thought? I had no expectations but I was snapping a bunch of pictures of Austin's tall skyscrapers with the Colorado River running through the city. It was very scenic! - Also, once the sun set and it was completely dark outside...the night skyline of Austin's buildings reflecting onto the Colorado River was terrific! The reflections were perfectly symmetrical with the water and from either side of Congress Bridge, I had wonderful perspectives of the night skyline! Plus my photos came out wonderfully! I highly recommend hanging out on Congress Avenue Bridge for evening picture taking...especially during pleasant summer months. - The bats flying from underneath happens during springtime and running through early autumn. I had read that they depart at night to hunt for food for the evening. - When I visited Austin in early September...I came here to Congress Avenue Bridge on a Friday night and the bridge was packed with people! Folks arrived here early to grab the best viewing spots. And...it's not just from along the bridge. There's a grassy/picnic area below the bridge that people were camping out on for their positions to watch the bats. Actually, there may have been more folks underneath the bridge than on top of the bridge. - The bats flying out lasts like 45 minutes, but after a few minutes and once the sun officially sets...everyone leaves the area...because...when it's almost pitch black outside...it's just very hard to see the bats aside from the fact the bats are minuscule looking to begin with. - If you do watch these bats flying from underneath the bridge, there's a parking lot for your car. Though...it's a metered parking lot so after you exit your car...you have to pay a small fee at the machine. But...instructions at the machine were for you to remember your parking number and then enter it into the machine. But...there were no parking spot numbers next to your car! So...I wondered how do you enter your payment without having a spot number engraved into the cement??? People were standing in line at the machine but I decided to skip paying since I had no number. Well...I never had any issues in regards to getting a parking ticket. That was strange. And this was for September of this year - 2020. - From this entire Congress Avenue Bridge...it wasn't just people packing above and below the bridge. There were folks in kayaks hanging out as well as plenty of boats and tours along the Colorado River...all in order to have the best viewing points. So, yeah can do an evening boat tour where I noticed most boats were facing with the direction of the sun so when the bats finally appeared...they would be photographed within the best possible lighting. - In the end...I actually came here to Congress Ave Bridge for 2 consecutive evenings. 1 night I stood on top of the bridge...and 1 night I stood below the bridge. Ultimately, I never fully got the chills...ya know...that sort of monumental moment witnessing animal behavior in pure nature. Still...for a free evening activity...watching the bats was still worth it...and at least I have a story from my experience. Funny, for me...my most memorable moment from Congress Avenue Bridge bat flights was actually the perfectly lit up Austin night skyline with buildings and skyscrapers reflecting off into the Colorado River. My best pictures came from standing on the bridge and enjoying the wonderful setting during a clear (without a cloud in the sky) fantastic looking evening. read more

I'll tell you the low down on the bats. You don't have to come too early like people say. Sundown was listed at 8:30 and we arrived at 8:05 and there were a lot of people standing below the bridge and on the bridge waiting. We parked at the south end of the Congress bridge. There is a large parking lot that is run by the city and you have a good visual view under the bridge. You scan a QR code from a sign to pay for parking. Parking was a little over $11 for an hour. Parking should be in shorter increments because if you get there at the right time you only need to wait and see them for 10 to 15 minutes and then leave. I expected a bigger cloud of bats but it was entertaining for a few minutes. They are pretty silent even though there were thousand of them. If you've never seen bats like this I would go and see them once, but once is enough. If you have young children it's definite must see. They would like it. read more

Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Bats under the Congress bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Had to check this out with my kids while we were visiting Austin. I don't know where there's parking close to this place, but we were parked in the Austins Visitors Center and just walked around. A good indication on which side the bats are located under the bridge is lookout for the kayakers and paddlers. I noticed they crowding around the opposite end of the bridge so my kids and I (originally sitting on the ground level lawn) went on top of the bridge. We crossed the street on the opposite side away from the sunset because the bats came out flying away from the sun. They came out in waves. The sun set at 7:30pm, but we only stayed for until 8pm and left. There were hundreds of bats and it was a very simple, but cool experience. You don't pay for nothing and it's a free viewing. read more

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