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This bat tunes into raucous frog serenades to locate dinner
A new analysis of the many ways bats hunt their food has revealed just how gifted—and little known—these night fliers really are.
As creatures of the night, bats face a unique challenge—locating and hunting down prey in the pitch black.
The flying mammals have evolved one excellent solution: Echolocation, in which they send out sound waves that bounce off prey and pinpoint their whereabouts. But this innate superpower represents only a fraction of the amazing and sophisticated ways bats get food. (Get the facts on how climate change could impact bat echolocation.)
Now, scientists have combed through previous literature to compile a master list of these dark talents, published recently in the journal Functional Ecology.
While many studies have looked specifically into the tools and behaviors bats use to find prey, a more thorough overview of how the predators use their various