Every bat travels differently

The females of some bat species migrate hundreds of kilometers after hibernation to give birth to their offspring in insect-rich regions. Unlike birds, it is largely unknown how bats keep their energy consumption low during flight. Dina Dechmann and colleagues from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz equipped female common noctule bats with air pressure sensors and tracked their flights. This enabled the researchers to record the flight direction and altitude. The data show that, whilst the Nyctalus bats all fly in a similar direction, they each choose their own specific flight altitude, distances and resting places. This suggests that each bat takes advantage of the prevailing weather and terrain to optimize its own individual flight.

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