September
20, 2017
Millions
of animals fly, swim or walk around the Earth every year. To ensure that they
reach their destination, they need to perceive precise changes in environmental
conditions and choose the right moment to set off on their journey. Bats, too,
are influenced by environmental factors. Every spring, common noctules in
southern Germany set off for their summer territories. Researchers at the Max
Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell have been studying what
conditions trigger this migration. They discovered that the decision to set off
depends on a combination of wind speed, wind direction and air pressure. The
researchers have developed a model that allows them to predict when the bats
will start their migration.
Flocks of
birds in the skies are a familiar autumn sight, as they head south to
overwinter. But every year millions of other animals – from crabs and insects
to fish and mammals – set off on a similar migration. There are a range of
different factors which determine when they set off. Migratory birds, for
example, need to have gained sufficient weight since the previous winter. When
they depart is also affected by day length, wind conditions and air pressure. Bat
migration, by contrast, is less well understood.
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