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Brief Communications
Nature 444, 702 (7 December 2006) | doi:10.1038/444702a; Received 24 July 2006; Accepted 25 October 2006; Published online 6 December 2006
Navigation: Bat orientation using Earth's magnetic field
Richard A. Holland1,2, Kasper Thorup1,3,4, Maarten J. Vonhof5, William W. Cochran6 & Martin Wikelski1
Abstract
Bats famously orientate at night by echolocation1, but this works over only a short range, and little is known about how they navigate over longer distances2. Here we show that the homing behaviour of Eptesicus fuscus, known as the big brown bat, can be altered by artificially shifting the Earth's magnetic field, indicating that these bats rely on a magnetic compass to return to their home roost. This finding adds to the impressive array of sensory abilities possessed by this animal for navigation in the dark.
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