Talking Bats? What are the bats saying when they chatter to one another? The calls of the Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) that Amanda Lollar and I have described are now being recorded by Dr. Pollak and his graduate students at the Institute of Neurosciences at the University of Texas here in Austin. People often ask us, "What are the bats saying?" Well, we don't know for sure, but I can at least give you a general idea. Here are some of the calls and very rough translation of what they may mean.
Chittering (gently rubbing faces): "Hello my friend."
Exaggerated chittering (jumping towards one another): "Play with me."
Anticipation click (sneeze-like sound) Clears nose or throat in anticipation of feeding.
Food solicitation buzz (bat to caretaker): "Hey, you, throw some of those mealworms over my way!"
Territorial buzz (male to females as he flaps his wings): "Ah, mi amor, la la la...Hey, girls, over here...I'm the biggest and best looking guy in the neighborhood. Come on over to my house."
Dominance scold (male to female as he pushes his muzzle into her back): "Don't move."
Female response call (remains submissive): "Ok."
or Protest squeal (struggles with male): "Get your wings off me!"
Herding buzz (male to female as he pushes his face into their bodies, herding them into a tight cluster): "Get over here and stay there."
Warning call (male to another male with mouth open, baring his teeth): "Stay away from my house and my women!"
Marking call (male as he rubs his body on the roost): "La, la...ah yes, life is good...this is my territory and these are my girls".
Screetching (males lock jaws and roll around together screaming as they fight over females).
Directive call (mom to her baby): "Where are you?"
Isolation call (baby to its mother): "I'm over here and I'm hungry!"
Pre-flight call (juvenile as it practices flapping its wings before it has taken its first flight): "I'm about to take off...I'm about to fly...here I go...in just a minute...any time now...I'm almost ready"
Questioning call (bat to some disturbance or intruder): "What's that?" or "What do you want?"
Irritation buzz (one bat to another as they often butt heads): "Stop it. You're annoying me."
Squabbling (several bats pushing and kicking in a group): "Move over! I want that spot!"
Alarm call (male or female to threatening intruder): "HELP! DANGER! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
