Study finds Japanese horseshoe bats match each other's frequency to reduce noise in colonies

If many bats are sending out similar sound waves at the same time, their signals can overlap. (National geographic photo) Bats rely on echolocation to move through the dark and hunt insects. They send out high-pitched sound waves that bounce off nearby objects and return as echoes which helps them judge where things are.But when many bats send out similar sound waves at the same time, their signals can overlap. It creates noise that could make it harder for a bat to identify the echoes from its own calls.A new study published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology A by researchers from Doshisha University in Japan. has found that greater Japanese horseshoe bats have a unique way of dealing with this challenge, Science X reported.These bats gradually adjust their calls so that members of the same colony use almost the same frequency. Researchers say this helps the bats receive clearer echoes and better detect prey while flying together.How bats use sound to 'see'Bats are among the few animals that mainly depend on echolocation. Since many species are active at night, they cannot always rely on eyesight.They produce ultrasonic calls, which are too high for humans to hear. These sou...