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Bats avoid moving objects more successfully than stationary ones

Nature volume 275, pages 743–744 (1978)Cite this article

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 65211

    PHILIP H.-S. JEN & J. KENNETH MCCARTY

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  1. PHILIP H.-S. JEN
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  2. J. KENNETH MCCARTY
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JEN, PS., MCCARTY, J. Bats avoid moving objects more successfully than stationary ones. Nature 275, 743–744 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275743a0

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