Bats have one of the most advanced hearing systems in the animal kingdom. (Image: VW Pics via Getty Images)
The nocturnal hunter emits high-frequency sounds in flight, analyzing the reflected waves to navigate in the dark. Although these signals exceed the hearing range of many creatures, the greater wax moth detects frequencies up to 300 kHz – 15 times higher than the limits of human perception. Hearing the call of a predator, the insect has time to dodge the attack.
Bats and these moths are often called the possessors of perfect pitch. But who really leads in acoustic perception?
“The term ‘best’ is always subjective,” says Christina Koeppl, an expert in auditory physiology at the University of Oldenburg. Sensitivity, the ability to distinguish similar tones, and spatial orientation by sound are key aspects that shape hearing ability, the scientist explained in an interview with Live Science. These criteria make it difficult to assess objectively, but they highlight important adaptations.
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The cup-shaped plumage around the face of a barn owl focuses sound waves. Nocturnal hunters with precision hearing
Among the auditory systems of animals, Koeppl singles out the barn owl (Tyto alba).
“Working with these birds has made them my favorites,” the researcher shared. “Their auditory anatomy has evolved for night hunting and pinpointing the position of prey.”
Nocturnal predators combine keen vision with ultra-sensitive hearing. They can spot a mouse under the snow and instantly calculate its coordinates.
This is facilitated by unique adaptations. The feather frame around the eye sockets acts as an acoustic reflector. The asymmetrical placement of the ear openings creates a time delay between the reception of a signal by each ear, allowing the source of a sound to be determined with millisecond accuracy.
Echolocation: the common language of air and sea inhabitants
Despite their different habitats, dolphins and bats demonstrate a similar skill: active sound mapping of space.
“Their auditory systems don't just perceive sound, they actively shape the image of their environment,” explains Darlene Ketten, a specialist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
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Echolocation involves generating sound pulses and analyzing their reflections. This method allows one to create mental maps of space, surpassing the accuracy of artificial sonars, Ketten notes.
Bats have large ears and specialized brain structures for processing sound. Dolphins have a different mechanism: instead of external ears, they use fatty tissue in the jaw area to detect underwater vibrations.
Both types have protective mechanisms that prevent acoustic overload from their own signals.
Amphibious Hearing: Champions of Two Elements
Brandon Southall of Southall Environmental Associates suggests considering pinnipeds, masters of amphibious hearing.
“They have to adapt to radically different acoustic environments,” the expert emphasizes.
Most species are evolutionarily specialized for one environment. A person, when immersed in water, loses the clarity of sound perception – similarly, sea creatures are disoriented in the air.
Pinnipeds overcome this barrier thanks to their unique physiology: when diving, blood fills the cavities of the middle ear, ensuring effective transmission of underwater vibrations. On dry land, these cavities are filled with air again, restoring aerial sound perception.
Observations show that some species respond to sound signals at distances of up to 1.6 km both in water and on land.
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—Mathematical abilities in the animal kingdom
“This adaptation is truly amazing,” concludes Southall.
CATEGORIES Little secrets of nature
Marilyn PerkinsContent Editor
Science journalist and illustrator based in Los Angeles. Winner of the 2024 NASW Popular Science Award. She holds a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor's degree from Pomona College in neuroscience.
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