Echolocation is a process used by many types of animals to determine the location of objects and navigate their environment This process involves making high-pitched sounds and listening for the echo of those sounds bouncing off of objects. By measuring the time it takes for the sound to return and analyzing the sound’s volume, animals can gain an understanding of the size, shape, and distance of the objects they are trying to detect.
The best examples of animals that use echolocation are bats, dolphins, whales, shrews, and oilbirds. Bats, the most well-known echolocators, use echolocation to detect small flying insects while in flight. Bats make sounds in the range of 20 kHz to 110 kHz and can hear frequencies as high as 200 kHz.
Dolphins and whales use a more sophisticated form of echolocation, known as biosonar. These animals produce sound frequencies of 0.1 kHz to 150 kHz in the form of clicks, whistles, and other noises. The sound can reach distances of up to 6 km and provides dolphins and whales with detailed information about their environment, such as features of the seafloor, size and shape of objects, and the location of prey.
Shrews also use echolocation, but theirs is a much simpler process. Shrews use short “chirps” to locate prey and navigate their surroundings. Shrews make sounds in the range of 2 kHz to 5 kHz, and they have very sensitive hearing—able to detect frequencies up to 85 kHz.
Oilbirds are the only known species of bird to use echolocation. They use low-frequency sounds (1 kHz to 20 kHz) to navigate through dark and narrow passages of caves. Oilbirds rely heavily on their echolocation skills to find food and make sense of their environment.
Echolocation is an incredible adaptation that has allowed animals to survive and thrive in different environments. These five animals are just a few examples of the many species that have developed this skill to better understand the world around them.