Bats, Masters of the Sky
In Bats, Masters of the Sky, narrator Suranne Jones explains that bats live in caves where they are safe from predators, like hawks. But when they have to leave the cave, they use strategies like flying all at once and their nimble flying skills to overwhelm and evade predators. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life in the Air, a documentary about animals that take to the sky.
Lesson Express
Q: How do the bats change how they fly?
A: First they fly fast, then they have to slow down; finally, they have to maneuver around other bats in the cave.
Q: What is unique about a bat’s wing?
A: Its structure provides the bat with a lot of control over how it flies and allows it to fly over large spaces.
Q: How do the bats avoid the hawks?
A: They fly all together, which overwhelms the hawks, and they fly fast to escape them.
More Like This
In Bats' A Nightly Journey of Survival, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the nightly journey of three million bats as they leave their cave to hunt for insects. The bats face many challenges, including evading predatory birds such as rufous-bellied eagles, falcons, and black hawks. Despite these dangers, most bats return safely to their cave by morning. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Finding Refuge in the Sea Caves of Poor Knights Islands, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Poor Knights Islands in New Zealand, focusing on the survival strategies of fish and bats that use sea caves as their refuge. After feeding in the open water, demersal fish return to the caves to avoid predators. Big-eyes are night-feeding fish that leave the caves each evening. Bats face danger from snakes that sense their body heat and strike at them as they exit the caves. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Life Inside the Sunless Ecosystem of Deer Cave, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores Deer Cave in Borneo, the largest river passage in the world — so vast that a jumbo jet could fly through it. The cave is home to an astonishing 3 million wrinkle-lipped bats, which roost high on the cave walls and ceilings, away from predators. The bats' droppings (guano) form the foundation of a unique food chain within the cave, supporting massive populations of cockroaches, giant cave centipedes, and even crabs. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In A Crucial Resource in the Desert, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Saguaro cacti. Saguaros are cacti with very shallow roots. Learn how they expand after a rainstorm and flower during four weeks of the summer, supporting the wildlife around them. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Bats' A Nightly Journey of Survival, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the nightly journey of three million bats as they leave their cave to hunt for insects. The bats face many challenges, including evading predatory birds such as rufous-bellied eagles, falcons, and black hawks. Despite these dangers, most bats return safely to their cave by morning. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Finding Refuge in the Sea Caves of Poor Knights Islands, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Poor Knights Islands in New Zealand, focusing on the survival strategies of fish and bats that use sea caves as their refuge. After feeding in the open water, demersal fish return to the caves to avoid predators. Big-eyes are night-feeding fish that leave the caves each evening. Bats face danger from snakes that sense their body heat and strike at them as they exit the caves. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Life Inside the Sunless Ecosystem of Deer Cave, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores Deer Cave in Borneo, the largest river passage in the world — so vast that a jumbo jet could fly through it. The cave is home to an astonishing 3 million wrinkle-lipped bats, which roost high on the cave walls and ceilings, away from predators. The bats' droppings (guano) form the foundation of a unique food chain within the cave, supporting massive populations of cockroaches, giant cave centipedes, and even crabs. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In A Crucial Resource in the Desert, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Saguaro cacti. Saguaros are cacti with very shallow roots. Learn how they expand after a rainstorm and flower during four weeks of the summer, supporting the wildlife around them. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.