Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Echolocation behavior of rufous horseshoe bats hunting for insects in the flycatcher-style

  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The echolocation behavior ofRhinolophus rouxi when waiting for insects on a perch and when pursuing them in short hunting flights is described. It reveals that flycatcher-style hunting is one foraging strategy utilized by this species. It also suggests that bats use fluttering target information to classify their prey.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Airapetianz ES, Konstaninov AI (1974) Echolocation in nature. Leningrad. English Translation: Joint Publications Research Service, Arlington (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackmore M (1964) Order Chiroptera. In: Southern NH (ed) The handbook of British mammals. Blackwell Scientific Publication, Oxford, pp 224–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosset A (1966) La biologie des chiroptéres. Masson, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown PE, Berry RD (1983) Echolocation behavior in a ‘flycatcher’ bat,Hipposideros diadema. J Acoust Soc Am Suppl 1, 74:32

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisentraut M (1950) Die ErnÄhrung der FledermÄuse. Zool J, Abt Systematik, ökol Tiere 79:115–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman LJ, Henson OW Jr (1977) Prey recognition and selection by the constant frequency bat,Pteronotus p. parnellii. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2:411–419

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffin DR, Simmons JA (1974) Echolocation of insects by horseshoe bats. Nature 250:731–732

    Google Scholar 

  • Novick A (1977) Acoustic orientation. In: Wimsatt WA (ed) Biology of bats, vol III. Academic Press, New York, pp 73–287

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips WWA (1980) Manual of the mammals of Sri Lanka. Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, Part I, pp 45–48

  • Schnitzler HU (1973) Die Echoortung der FledermÄuse und ihre hörphysiologischen Grundlagen. Fortschr Zool 21:136–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnitzler HU (1978) Die Detektion von Bewegungen durch Echoortung bei FledermÄusen. Verh Dtsch Zool Ges 1978, pp 16–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnitzler HU, Flieger E (1983) Detection of oscillating target movements by echolocation in the greater horseshoe bat. J Comp Physiol 153:385–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnitzler HU, Henson OW Jr (1980) Performance of airborne animal sonar systems: I. Microchiroptera. In: Busnel RG, Fish JF (eds) Animal sonar systems. Plenum Press, New York, pp 109–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnitzler HU, Ostwald J (1983) Adaptations for the detection of fluttering insects by echolocation in horseshoe bats. In: Ewert JP, Capranica RR, Ingle DI (eds) Advances in vertebrate neuroethology. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 801–827

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnitzler HU, Menne D, Kober R, Heblich K (1983) The acoustical image of fluttering insects in echolocating bats. In: Huber F, Markl H (eds) Neuroethology and behavioral physiology. Roots and growing points. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 235–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuller G (1980) Hearing characteristics and Doppler shift compensation in South Indian CF-FM bats. J Comp Physiol 139:349–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuller G, Beuter K, Schnitzler HU (1974) Response to frequency shifted artificial echoes in the batRhinolophus ferrumequinum. J Comp Physiol 89:275–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Shortridge GC (1934) The mammals of south west Africa. Heinemann, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Stebbings RE (1977) Order Chiroptera-Bats. In: Corbet, Southern (eds) The handbook of British mammals. Blackwell Publ, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Trappe M (1982) Verhalten und Echoortung der Grossen Hufeisennase beim Insektenfang. Dissertation, UniversitÄt Tübingen

  • Trappe M, Schnitzler HU (1982) Doppler shift compensation in insect-catching horseshoe bats. Naturwissenschaften 69:193–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan TA (1977) Foraging behavior of the giant leaf-nosed batHipposideros commersoni. East Afr Wildl J 15:237–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogler B, Neuweiler G (1983) Echolocation in the noctule (Nyctalus noctuld) and horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). J Comp Physiol 152:421–432

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker EP (1968) Mammals of the world, vol 1. John Hopkins Press, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallin L (1969) The Japanese bat fauna. Zool Bidr Uppsala 37:408–413

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl Zoophysiologie, Institut für Biologie III, Eberhard-Karls-UniversitÄt, D-7400, Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler, Heidi Hackbarth, Ute Heilmann & Horst Herbert

Authors
  1. Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Heidi Hackbarth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ute Heilmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Horst Herbert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schnitzler, HU., Hackbarth, H., Heilmann, U. et al. Echolocation behavior of rufous horseshoe bats hunting for insects in the flycatcher-style. J. Comp. Physiol. 157, 39–46 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00611093

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00611093

Keywords

Search

Navigation