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Interaction Between Echolocating Bats and Their Prey

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Animal Sonar

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Science ((NSSA,volume 156))

Abstract

The echolocation system of microchiropteran bats is more sophisticated than that of any other terrestrial vertebrate (Schnitzler & Henson, 1980). Most bats are obligate echolocators but interaction between bats and their prey is not necessarily mediated solely by echolocation. Bats may rely heavily on passive hearing, i.e. detection of sounds produced by the prey (Barclay, 1982; Barclay et al., 1981; Buchler & Childs, 1981; Tuttle et al., 1985). Other sensory modalities (sight, olfaction, thermoreception) may also be involved in prey detection and localization (Fenton, 1984; Goldman & Henson, 1977; Kurten & Schmidt, 1982; Joerman, 1984; Bell, 1982). Bats exploiting such cues may cease echolocation in the final phase (Fiedler, 1979), hence, minimizing the prey’s potential possibility of detecting the echolocation signals of the predator.

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  1. Institute of Biology, Odense University, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark

    Annemarie Surlykke

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  1. Annemarie Surlykke
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  1. Naval Ocean Systems Center, P.O. Box 997, 96734, Kailua, Hawaii, USA

    Paul E. Nachtigall (Head, Research Branch) & Patrick W. B. Moore (Head, Research Branch) & 

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© 1988 Plenum Press, New York

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Surlykke, A. (1988). Interaction Between Echolocating Bats and Their Prey. In: Nachtigall, P.E., Moore, P.W.B. (eds) Animal Sonar. NATO ASI Science, vol 156. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-7493-0_56

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-7493-0_56

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