Protocol for simulating foraging behavior strategy and dual-choice predatory sensory cue experiments in aerial-hawking bats

• Published in: STAR Protocols
• Main Authors: Lixin Gong, Yang Geng, Zhiqiang Wang, Aiqing Lin, Hui Wu, Jiang Feng, Tinglei Jiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2023-09-01
• Subjects: Model Organisms; Cognitive Neuroscience; Behavior; Evolutionary Biology
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666166723004616
• ISSN: 2666-1667

Summary: The nocturnal and cryptic nature of bats makes it difficult to determine their foraging behavior and predatory sensory cues. Here, we present a protocol for determining the behavioral strategies and sensory cues of bat predation on airborne prey. We describe steps for indoor foraging behavior simulation, dual-choice acoustic playback, and visual presentation experiments. This protocol was used to study the avivorous bat, Ia io, but it can be adapted for studying other aerial-hawking bats and even other taxa.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gong et al. (2022).1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.