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Related Concept Videos

Echo01:06

Echo

The human ear cannot distinguish between two sources of sound if they happen to reach within a specific time interval, typically 0.1 seconds apart. More than this, and they are perceived as separate sources.
Imagine the sound is reflected back to the ears. Assuming that the source is very close to the human, the difference between hearing the two sounds—the emitted sound and the reflected sound—may be more than the minimum time for perceiving distinct sounds. If this is the case, then the...
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.
Communication01:03

Communication

Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings
09:32

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Published on: April 1, 2022

Echolocation in Oilbirds and swiftlets.

Signe Brinkløv1, M Brock Fenton, John M Ratcliffe

  • 1Department of Biology, Western University London, ON, Canada.

Frontiers in Physiology
|June 12, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bird echolocation, using audible clicks, enables navigation in dark caves for species like oilbirds and swiftlets. Despite being considered rudimentary, its sophistication is being re-evaluated with new research tools.

Keywords:
AerodramusCollocaliaOilbirdSteatornis caripensisbiosonarclickecholocationswiftlets

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Area of Science:

  • Zoology
  • Bioacoustics
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • Ultrasonic bat echolocation spurred research into other animal biosonar systems.
  • Two avian groups, the nocturnal Oilbird and diurnal swiftlets, utilize biosonar.
  • Bird echolocation operates at lower, human-audible frequencies, unlike ultrasonic bat systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the capabilities and sophistication of avian biosonar systems.
  • To address discrepancies regarding bird echolocation signal design and foraging applications.
  • To compare bird echolocation performance with human echolocation and bat biosonar.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of broadband click-type biosonar signals produced by birds.
  • Comparative study of echolocation in oilbirds and swiftlets.
  • Utilizing advanced recording equipment and software for signal analysis and flight path reconstruction.

Main Results:

  • Bird echolocation, though lower in frequency, is used for navigation in dark environments like caves.
  • Echolocation has evolved multiple times in avian lineages, appearing in at least 16 species.
  • Bird echolocation performance may exceed that of blind humans, despite a lack of apparent auditory specializations.

Conclusions:

  • Avian biosonar, while different from bat systems, is a complex adaptation for survival.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the intricacies of bird echolocation.
  • New technologies offer promising avenues for detailed study of bird echolocation behavior.