Panama – Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) have filmed a fringe-lipped bat, Trachops cirrhosus, eavesdropping and striking at the mating call of a túngara frog, Engystomops pustulosus.

The video shows the bat detecting a single male túngara frog’s mating call, a “whine” with multiple “chucks.” It also captures the bat responding to a chorus of male túngara frogs competing for mates.

In another clip, the bat eavesdrops and strikes at a calling túngara frog. The frog detects the predator, stops its mating call, and ducks, escaping the attacking bat.

Published April 29 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the study reveals fringe-lipped bats learn to identify safe prey through experience. Adults target palatable frogs, unlike less selective juveniles.

Ranging from Panama to Brazil, these bats eavesdrop on mating calls of over a dozen frog and toad species, pursuing them but avoiding toxic or oversized prey to conserve energy.

Tests with recordings of 15 frog and toad species showed juveniles can identify larger prey but not toxic ones, learning this skill over time. The study highlights how experience shapes predatory behavior.

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