Study Reveals How Eavesdropping Predators Develop Hunting Strategies

Dr. Ximena E. Bernal, a professor in Purdue University's Department of Biological Sciences, and faculty affiliate of the Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future, has co-authored a new study which has uncovered how young fringe-lipped bats (Trachops cirrhosis) learn to identify and hunt prey—not through instinct, but by listening, learning the mating calls of their prey, and observing mature bats.

Published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the research explores the development of decision-making in these eavesdropping predators, offering insights into how animals learn to interpret prey signals in the wild. The study shows that juvenile bats don’t innately recognize prey sounds such as frog calls, or understand which prey are poisonous. Instead, they acquire this critical hunting knowledge through a combination of trial-and-error and social learning from more experienced and matured bats.

The findings shed light on the processes involved in predator-prey dynamics and highlight the roles of instinct vs. learning in animal behavior. The research team used a series of controlled experiments to demonstrate how bats gradually learn to associate specific sounds with a successful meal, showing a capacity for adaptive behavior.

“This study highlights the power of development and learning to shape eavesdropping behavior, an insight that may extend far beyond bats to other predators also navigating complex sensory environments,” Dr. Bernal stated. 

Dr. Bernal's research at Purdue's Behavioral and Sensory Ecology Lab continues to explore the ecology and eco-evo of animal communication.

The study has also gained international attention, picked up by news outlets in ten countries - US, UK, Austrailia, Mexico, Panama, Greece, Malaysia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand.