A recent study published in the journal Science has revealed that certain bats may use warm storm fronts to aid in their cross-continental migration. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior attached tiny sensors to 71 common noctule bats and tracked them as they made their spring migration across Europe.
The data collected showed that the bats surfed the warm storm fronts, using the support of warm tailwinds, which allowed them to travel further and use less energy. This discovery was made possible by a novel tracking technology developed by the MPI-AB team, which weighed just 5% of the bat’s body weight and contained multiple sensors for tracking movements and air temperature.
The researchers found that the bats didn’t follow a set path, but instead moved across the landscape in a general northeast direction. The data also revealed a sudden burst of departures on certain nights, coinciding with storm fronts. These events were likely triggered by changes in air pressure and temperature.
This new technology has significant implications for understanding bat migration and preventing human-caused deaths, such as collisions with wind turbines. By studying bat migration, researchers hope to develop a system that can forecast bat migration patterns, allowing them to take steps to mitigate conflicts between humans and bats.
Source: https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/migrating-bats-surf-storm-fronts-to-save-energy