Bats ‘surf’ the wind to travel hundreds of miles a night, study finds [Video]

05:13 EST 03 Jan 2025, updated 05:13 EST 03 Jan 2025

When it comes to epic migrations, birds are likely the first animals to spring to mind. 

But bats also complete incredible journeys, with some species able to travel thousands of miles across North America, Europe, and Africa. 

Scientists have previously struggled to observe these migrations, meaning they’ve remained an enigma. 

To combat this issue, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour have turned to ultra-lightweight intelligent sensors. 

This has allowed them to study common noctule bats on their spring migration across Europe for the first time.

Their analysis reveals that these bats use an unusual strategy to travel hundreds of miles at night – they surf the wind. 

‘They were riding storm fronts, using the support of warm tailwinds,’ said Edward Hurme, first author of the study. 

‘It was known that birds use wind support during migration, and now we see that bats do too.’