Abstract
MICROCHIROPTERANS sense their environment by emitting ultrasonic signals and listening to the echoes1. The simplest way to measure this ability is by the obstacle-avoidance test2–7, in which a bat flies between an array of stationary wires and the numbers of hits and misses are recorded. We have extended this test and made our bats fly between an array of moving as well as stationary obstacles. We were surprised to find, as reported here, that a bat can avoid moving obstacles more successfully than stationary ones.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Griffin, D. R. Listening in the Dark (Yale University Press, 1958; reprinted Dover, 1974).
Griffin, D. R. & Galambos, R. J. exp. Zool. 86, 481–506 (1941).
Galambos, R. & Griffin, D. R. J. exp. Zool. 89, 475–490 (1942).
Grinnell, A. D. & Griffin, D. R. Biol. Bull. 114, 10–12 (1958).
Grummon, R. A. & Novick, A. O. Physiol. Zool. 36, 361–369 (1963).
Hahn, W. L. Biol. Bull. 15, 135–193 (1908).
Suga, N. J. Physiol., Lond. 203, 707–728 (1969).
Griffin, D. R., McCue, J. J. G. & Grinnell, A. D. J. exp. Zool. 152, 229–250 (1963).
Neuweiler, G. & Moehres, F. P. in Animal Sonar Systems (ed. Busnel, R. G.) 129–140 (Lab.Physiol. Acoust. Jouy-en-Josas, France, 1967).
Altman, J. A. Expl Neurol. 22, 13–25 (1968).
Sovijärin, A. R. A. & Hyvärinen, J. Brain Res. 73, 455–471 (1974).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
JEN, PS., MCCARTY, J. Bats avoid moving objects more successfully than stationary ones. Nature 275, 743–744 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275743a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/275743a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Adaptive mechanisms underlying the bat biosonar behavior
Frontiers in Biology (2010)
-
Interpulse interval modulation by echolocating big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in different densities of obstacle clutter
Journal of Comparative Physiology A (2009)
-
Bats reject clutter interference for moving targets more successfully than for stationary ones
Journal of Comparative Physiology ? A (1983)
-
Analysis of orientation signals emitted by the CF-FM bat,Pteronotus p. parnellii and the FM bat,Eptesicus fuscus during avoidance of moving and stationary obstacles
Journal of Comparative Physiology ? A (1982)
-
Echolocation by cave swiftlets
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (1982)