Bats
The association between the vampire and bats is thought by many to have existed through all time. However, it really only dates back to 1897, with the Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In that novel, the vampire was depicted as a shapeshifter able to transform into a bat.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-bats-are-one-of-evolution-s-greatest-puzzles?utm_source=pocket-newtab
https://www.batcon.org/article/bats-and-vampires/