1
00:00:00,147 --> 00:00:02,814
(upbeat music)

2
00:00:07,512 --> 00:00:10,112
Any one fascinated by the natural world

3
00:00:10,112 --> 00:00:12,192
has probably wondered why some animals

4
00:00:12,192 --> 00:00:14,725
have such strange looking sense organs.

5
00:00:16,682 --> 00:00:18,525
The elephant with its huge ears,

6
00:00:18,525 --> 00:00:20,552
(elephant trumpets)

7
00:00:20,552 --> 00:00:22,152
the antennae of a butterfly,

8
00:00:22,152 --> 00:00:24,055
which up close look like feathers.

9
00:00:25,832 --> 00:00:28,442
The snake with its split tongue.

10
00:00:28,442 --> 00:00:30,862
And what about less obvious enhancements?

11
00:00:30,862 --> 00:00:33,465
Like the sensory cells on a crocodile's skin?

12
00:00:34,672 --> 00:00:36,232
Surely these evolutionary traits

13
00:00:36,232 --> 00:00:37,718
aren't just for decoration.

14
00:00:37,718 --> 00:00:39,882
(intense drum beats)

15
00:00:39,882 --> 00:00:42,552
In fact, the size, shape and location

16
00:00:42,552 --> 00:00:45,582
of these animals' sense organs is all for a purpose,

17
00:00:45,582 --> 00:00:48,692
and just like us, animals rely on their senses

18
00:00:48,692 --> 00:00:50,242
to communicate with each other,

19
00:00:50,242 --> 00:00:52,982
find their way around, stay safe,

20
00:00:52,982 --> 00:00:56,305
and most importantly, to find food.

21
00:00:57,922 --> 00:01:01,172
When you see how superior some animal senses are

22
00:01:01,172 --> 00:01:03,122
compared to those of humans,

23
00:01:03,122 --> 00:01:05,272
you might wonder how we ever managed

24
00:01:05,272 --> 00:01:07,190
to stay on top of the food chain.

25
00:01:07,190 --> 00:01:08,302
(bee buzzes)

26
00:01:08,302 --> 00:01:09,942
Animal super senses.

27
00:01:09,942 --> 00:01:12,095
You won't believe what's possible.

28
00:01:13,474 --> 00:01:16,557
(suspenseful music)

29
00:01:20,268 --> 00:01:22,582
Animal is that live life on the wing

30
00:01:22,582 --> 00:01:25,082
have a vast expanse of sky to navigate,

31
00:01:25,082 --> 00:01:29,392
find mates, locate food, and avoid predators in.

32
00:01:29,392 --> 00:01:32,522
Living in this aerial realm requires a unique set

33
00:01:32,522 --> 00:01:36,475
of senses, specialized to cope with life above ground.

34
00:01:37,532 --> 00:01:39,822
In this episode of Super Senses,

35
00:01:39,822 --> 00:01:43,162
we find out more about when senses take flight,

36
00:01:43,162 --> 00:01:46,585
and animals become masters of the sky.

37
00:01:50,382 --> 00:01:52,802
The speed and precision of a bird of prey

38
00:01:52,802 --> 00:01:56,922
captures our attention and leaves us awestruck.

39
00:01:56,922 --> 00:01:58,232
From a soaring height,

40
00:01:58,232 --> 00:02:01,105
they scan the ground for a pigeon sized meal.

41
00:02:02,342 --> 00:02:05,072
Open grassland is perfect territory.

42
00:02:05,072 --> 00:02:07,082
To cope with searching a vast area,

43
00:02:07,082 --> 00:02:08,926
they need super sharp sight.

44
00:02:08,926 --> 00:02:11,212
(intense music)

45
00:02:11,212 --> 00:02:13,632
The peregrine falcon, like most predators,

46
00:02:13,632 --> 00:02:15,335
has forward facing eyes.

47
00:02:16,532 --> 00:02:19,582
Binocular vision helps in depth perception,

48
00:02:19,582 --> 00:02:22,432
essential to spot fast moving food.

49
00:02:22,432 --> 00:02:25,832
Their eyes rely on several visual enhancements.

50
00:02:25,832 --> 00:02:30,385
Each eye has two fovea, dense areas of photo receptors.

51
00:02:31,382 --> 00:02:33,462
Most animals only have one,

52
00:02:33,462 --> 00:02:37,082
but the peregrine falcon has a deep and shallow fovea.

53
00:02:37,082 --> 00:02:39,662
These clusters of light sensitive nerve cells

54
00:02:39,662 --> 00:02:42,955
provide acute vision for viewing distant objects.

55
00:02:42,955 --> 00:02:45,622
(intense music)

56
00:02:51,782 --> 00:02:55,542
Their favorite prey are medium-sized birds.

57
00:02:55,542 --> 00:03:00,037
They mark their target from a height of 1,500 meters.

58
00:03:00,037 --> 00:03:02,704
(intense music)

59
00:03:09,352 --> 00:03:11,502
With a power stoop reaching speeds

60
00:03:11,502 --> 00:03:13,982
of over 300 kilometers per hour,

61
00:03:13,982 --> 00:03:16,142
such acceleration would cause eyes to dry

62
00:03:16,142 --> 00:03:18,065
out as wind evaporates the tear film,

63
00:03:20,112 --> 00:03:23,202
but a nictitating membrane, or third eyelid,

64
00:03:23,202 --> 00:03:25,022
clears the eye of debris,

65
00:03:25,022 --> 00:03:27,632
and a specialized gland at the base of the membrane

66
00:03:27,632 --> 00:03:30,402
secretes a solution that moistens the cornea,

67
00:03:30,402 --> 00:03:33,366
and protects the eye during the breathtaking stoop.

68
00:03:33,366 --> 00:03:36,532
(intense music)

69
00:03:36,532 --> 00:03:38,082
As an ariel sniper,

70
00:03:38,082 --> 00:03:40,505
the peregrine falcon is a sight to behold.

71
00:03:41,352 --> 00:03:44,152
When a meal is spotted the predator stoops,

72
00:03:44,152 --> 00:03:46,352
with wings folded close to the body.

73
00:03:46,352 --> 00:03:48,924
It's the perfect shape for dive bombing.

74
00:03:48,924 --> 00:03:51,591
(intense music)

75
00:03:56,142 --> 00:03:58,422
It strikes the pigeon with his talons,

76
00:03:58,422 --> 00:03:59,835
stunning it on impact.

77
00:04:01,232 --> 00:04:03,415
Then turns to catch it in midair.

78
00:04:04,301 --> 00:04:07,292
(bird screeches)

79
00:04:07,292 --> 00:04:08,882
If the prey is too heavy,

80
00:04:08,882 --> 00:04:11,232
the peregrine will drop to the ground

81
00:04:11,232 --> 00:04:13,932
where it settles to pluck the feathers before feeding.

82
00:04:18,234 --> 00:04:21,567
(soft percussive music)

83
00:04:36,842 --> 00:04:38,712
With such formidable vision,

84
00:04:38,712 --> 00:04:41,745
the falcon's prey stands little chance of escape.

85
00:04:46,812 --> 00:04:49,712
The falcon's sharp vision is impressive,

86
00:04:49,712 --> 00:04:52,342
but there is another bird of prey that can beat it.

87
00:04:52,342 --> 00:04:57,182
The wedge tail eagle also has two fovea in each eye,

88
00:04:57,182 --> 00:04:59,665
but it has the advantage of size.

89
00:05:01,274 --> 00:05:03,941
(upbeat music)

90
00:05:28,722 --> 00:05:31,562
It's Australia's largest bird of prey.

91
00:05:31,562 --> 00:05:34,732
The wedgey, as it's known, has the keenest vision

92
00:05:34,732 --> 00:05:36,822
of any animal and their eyes,

93
00:05:36,822 --> 00:05:39,375
relative to body size, are huge.

94
00:05:44,076 --> 00:05:46,881
(birds caw)

95
00:05:46,881 --> 00:05:49,562
(upbeat music)

96
00:05:49,562 --> 00:05:52,532
A 4.5 kilogram eagle may have eyes

97
00:05:52,532 --> 00:05:55,430
as big as a 90 kilogram human.

98
00:05:55,430 --> 00:05:58,097
(upbeat music)

99
00:06:06,672 --> 00:06:08,962
Sporting a two meter long wingspan,

100
00:06:08,962 --> 00:06:12,494
this raptor truly is lord of the skies.

101
00:06:12,494 --> 00:06:15,161
(upbeat music)

102
00:06:33,552 --> 00:06:36,872
It takes flight with slow, deep wing beats.

103
00:06:36,872 --> 00:06:39,572
And once aloft, skillfully uses updrafts

104
00:06:39,572 --> 00:06:43,483
of thermals to reach heights of 2000 meters.

105
00:06:43,483 --> 00:06:46,150
(upbeat music)

106
00:06:51,122 --> 00:06:54,192
Such powerful wings are put to good use

107
00:06:54,192 --> 00:06:56,932
as it hunts by soaring above the open country,

108
00:06:56,932 --> 00:06:59,203
looking for rabbits and wallabies.

109
00:06:59,203 --> 00:07:01,870
(upbeat music)

110
00:07:06,602 --> 00:07:09,072
Once spotted, it dives down at speeds

111
00:07:09,072 --> 00:07:11,682
of more than 80 kilometers per hour,

112
00:07:11,682 --> 00:07:13,782
grabbing its unsuspecting prey

113
00:07:13,782 --> 00:07:16,745
with his formidable seven centimeter long talons.

114
00:07:19,319 --> 00:07:21,902
(upbeat music)

115
00:07:28,610 --> 00:07:31,360
(bird screeches)

116
00:07:44,822 --> 00:07:47,602
Big, beautiful, and predatory,

117
00:07:47,602 --> 00:07:49,822
birds of prey get our attention,

118
00:07:49,822 --> 00:07:52,162
yet they share the sky with a much smaller

119
00:07:52,162 --> 00:07:54,632
winged hunter that could teach the raptors

120
00:07:54,632 --> 00:07:55,765
a lesson or two.

121
00:07:57,822 --> 00:08:01,082
Dragonflies, ancient aerial killers

122
00:08:01,082 --> 00:08:03,922
that seem dainty and ethereal,

123
00:08:03,922 --> 00:08:06,825
but don't be fooled by their delicate looks.

124
00:08:09,294 --> 00:08:12,044
(peaceful music)

125
00:08:20,572 --> 00:08:22,202
New research suggests

126
00:08:22,202 --> 00:08:24,842
that the dragonfly may well be the most brutal

127
00:08:24,842 --> 00:08:28,292
and effective predators in the animal kingdom.

128
00:08:28,292 --> 00:08:31,582
With military precision and fighter pilot control,

129
00:08:31,582 --> 00:08:34,072
they rarely miss their insect prey,

130
00:08:34,072 --> 00:08:36,312
managing to snatch their targets in midair

131
00:08:36,312 --> 00:08:38,445
more than 95% of the time.

132
00:08:39,752 --> 00:08:42,382
They don't even stop to finish one meal,

133
00:08:42,382 --> 00:08:44,302
stuffing their mouths full of meat,

134
00:08:44,302 --> 00:08:47,631
while moving on to catch the next victim.

135
00:08:47,631 --> 00:08:50,381
(peaceful music)

136
00:08:57,432 --> 00:08:59,472
They can fly backwards,

137
00:08:59,472 --> 00:09:01,382
change direction in midair,

138
00:09:01,382 --> 00:09:03,215
and hover for up to one minute.

139
00:09:06,192 --> 00:09:09,535
What makes the dragonfly such an effective hunter?

140
00:09:13,252 --> 00:09:17,262
Dragonflies have multifaceted, or compound, eyes.

141
00:09:17,262 --> 00:09:22,262
And, along with bees, have the largest eyes of any insect.

142
00:09:22,321 --> 00:09:25,071
(peaceful music)

143
00:09:29,872 --> 00:09:33,512
The dragonfly sees the world in a mosaic.

144
00:09:33,512 --> 00:09:37,022
They have more light-sensitive proteins called opsins,

145
00:09:37,022 --> 00:09:38,902
and this allows them to see colors that are

146
00:09:38,902 --> 00:09:41,282
beyond human visual capabilities,

147
00:09:41,282 --> 00:09:42,855
such as ultraviolet light.

148
00:09:43,690 --> 00:09:46,440
(peaceful music)

149
00:09:49,332 --> 00:09:51,032
But that's not all.

150
00:09:51,032 --> 00:09:53,042
The light sensitive proteins are segregated

151
00:09:53,042 --> 00:09:56,042
in the compound eye with the upward facing part

152
00:09:56,042 --> 00:09:58,815
only having blue and UV receptors.

153
00:10:02,695 --> 00:10:04,792
(distant frog croaking)

154
00:10:04,792 --> 00:10:06,692
It's thought it gives a special advantage

155
00:10:06,692 --> 00:10:08,452
to hunting dragonflies.

156
00:10:08,452 --> 00:10:10,682
As the sky appears to be very bright,

157
00:10:10,682 --> 00:10:12,372
providing a clear background

158
00:10:12,372 --> 00:10:14,702
against which their small moving prey

159
00:10:14,702 --> 00:10:16,515
can be more easily detected.

160
00:10:20,512 --> 00:10:23,732
Another advantage of having a multi-faceted eye,

161
00:10:23,732 --> 00:10:26,625
is the dragonfly's acute sensitivity to movement.

162
00:10:27,741 --> 00:10:30,491
(peaceful music)

163
00:10:32,812 --> 00:10:36,102
Their super sense eyes make the dragonfly

164
00:10:36,102 --> 00:10:39,595
the stone cold serial killer of the skies.

165
00:10:45,292 --> 00:10:48,182
Each autumn, millions of Monarch butterflies

166
00:10:48,182 --> 00:10:50,162
fly about 3000 kilometers

167
00:10:50,162 --> 00:10:51,952
from the Eastern United States

168
00:10:51,952 --> 00:10:54,970
to Central and Southern Mexico to spend the winter.

169
00:10:54,970 --> 00:10:57,387
(soft music)

170
00:11:06,335 --> 00:11:08,752
(bird calls)

171
00:11:16,522 --> 00:11:17,992
The monarch's migration is one

172
00:11:17,992 --> 00:11:20,851
of the most spectacular sights in nature.

173
00:11:20,851 --> 00:11:23,268
(soft music)

174
00:11:26,903 --> 00:11:29,320
(bird calls)

175
00:11:45,042 --> 00:11:47,612
Past research has shown the winged travelers

176
00:11:47,612 --> 00:11:51,162
navigate using the sun, but the question remained

177
00:11:51,162 --> 00:11:55,337
how do they manage to stay on course during cloudy days?

178
00:11:55,337 --> 00:11:57,754
(soft music)

179
00:12:02,582 --> 00:12:04,932
The answer lay once again,

180
00:12:04,932 --> 00:12:07,432
in the ultraviolet realm of the sky.

181
00:12:07,432 --> 00:12:09,849
(soft music)

182
00:12:15,322 --> 00:12:19,002
This time, the UV light wasn't providing the direction,

183
00:12:19,002 --> 00:12:22,432
but acted as a switch to trigger a magnetic compass

184
00:12:22,432 --> 00:12:24,315
located in the butterfly's antennae.

185
00:12:25,196 --> 00:12:27,613
(soft music)

186
00:12:44,662 --> 00:12:47,452
Researchers have found that light-sensitive molecules

187
00:12:47,452 --> 00:12:50,982
in the antennae are turned on by ultraviolet light,

188
00:12:50,982 --> 00:12:53,485
the wavelength that peaks during summer.

189
00:13:05,422 --> 00:13:07,782
Because UV light can penetrate clouds

190
00:13:07,782 --> 00:13:09,802
and reach the butterfly's receptors,

191
00:13:09,802 --> 00:13:14,140
even on overcast days, their inbuilt GPS can kick in.

192
00:13:14,140 --> 00:13:16,890
(peaceful music)

193
00:13:23,232 --> 00:13:24,982
This magnetic compass may serve

194
00:13:24,982 --> 00:13:27,042
as a backup navigation system

195
00:13:27,042 --> 00:13:28,962
to keep the butterflies on track

196
00:13:28,962 --> 00:13:30,362
when they can't see the sun.

197
00:13:31,374 --> 00:13:34,124
(peaceful music)

198
00:13:43,222 --> 00:13:45,202
So we have super senses,

199
00:13:45,202 --> 00:13:47,872
like ultraviolet and polarized light,

200
00:13:47,872 --> 00:13:49,972
that help airborne animals find food

201
00:13:49,972 --> 00:13:51,365
and navigate their way.

202
00:13:52,792 --> 00:13:54,942
They are all about what can be seen

203
00:13:54,942 --> 00:13:57,845
of the wide blue sky that animals can use.

204
00:13:58,832 --> 00:14:00,942
But what about the other senses?

205
00:14:00,942 --> 00:14:03,952
The sense of smell responds to airborne chemicals

206
00:14:03,952 --> 00:14:05,922
but in the expanse of sky,

207
00:14:05,922 --> 00:14:07,935
are the molecule is too dispersed?

208
00:14:09,372 --> 00:14:11,252
Modern birds are known more

209
00:14:11,252 --> 00:14:12,582
for their flying abilities

210
00:14:12,582 --> 00:14:14,532
and their sense of vision and balance

211
00:14:14,532 --> 00:14:16,245
than for their sense of smell.

212
00:14:17,992 --> 00:14:21,212
But some bird species still rely on smell

213
00:14:21,212 --> 00:14:24,522
to search for food or navigate over large areas.

214
00:14:24,522 --> 00:14:26,342
And recent research suggests

215
00:14:26,342 --> 00:14:29,185
that they may have inherited this from the dinosaurs.

216
00:14:32,152 --> 00:14:34,942
New world vultures, like the black vulture,

217
00:14:34,942 --> 00:14:38,619
live in the warm and temperate areas of the Americas.

218
00:14:38,619 --> 00:14:41,286
(upbeat music)

219
00:14:45,512 --> 00:14:47,572
It is a typical scavenger,

220
00:14:47,572 --> 00:14:49,955
feeding on dead and decaying flesh.

221
00:14:54,492 --> 00:14:57,159
(upbeat music)

222
00:15:08,752 --> 00:15:10,672
And it soars high above the ground,

223
00:15:10,672 --> 00:15:13,210
looking for its next meal.

224
00:15:13,210 --> 00:15:15,877
(upbeat music)

225
00:15:24,292 --> 00:15:27,722
But, it doesn't have a particularly sensitive nose.

226
00:15:27,722 --> 00:15:30,852
Instead, this clever bird keeps a keen eye

227
00:15:30,852 --> 00:15:33,222
on the activities of its new world cousin,

228
00:15:33,222 --> 00:15:34,717
the turkey vulture.

229
00:15:34,717 --> 00:15:37,384
(upbeat music)

230
00:15:51,572 --> 00:15:53,922
Turkey vultures can be seen circling

231
00:15:53,922 --> 00:15:56,332
effortlessly high in the sky.

232
00:15:56,332 --> 00:15:59,870
They are easily recognized by their red featherless heads.

233
00:15:59,870 --> 00:16:02,537
(upbeat music)

234
00:16:08,552 --> 00:16:11,422
But the Turkey vulture's real claim to fame is

235
00:16:11,422 --> 00:16:13,752
as one of the few birds in the world

236
00:16:13,752 --> 00:16:16,278
that have a super sense of smell.

237
00:16:16,278 --> 00:16:18,861
(upbeat music)

238
00:16:23,732 --> 00:16:26,492
Experts estimate that they can detect the scent

239
00:16:26,492 --> 00:16:29,242
of rotting flesh in concentrations as tiny

240
00:16:29,242 --> 00:16:31,672
as a few parts per billion in the air,

241
00:16:31,672 --> 00:16:33,832
and are able to sniff out a dead critter

242
00:16:33,832 --> 00:16:35,516
more than a mile away.

243
00:16:35,516 --> 00:16:38,183
(upbeat music)

244
00:16:49,742 --> 00:16:51,622
While gliding in the sky,

245
00:16:51,622 --> 00:16:54,272
they track plumes of foul, sulfurous odors

246
00:16:54,272 --> 00:16:56,132
from decaying animals

247
00:16:56,132 --> 00:16:58,395
and home in on it by flying in circles.

248
00:16:59,262 --> 00:17:01,929
(upbeat music)

249
00:17:15,792 --> 00:17:18,862
Watching closely is the black vulture.

250
00:17:18,862 --> 00:17:21,002
Lacking in the sense of smell department,

251
00:17:21,002 --> 00:17:23,472
but smart enough to watch the turkey vultures

252
00:17:23,472 --> 00:17:27,903
find the food and then follow when the time is right.

253
00:17:27,903 --> 00:17:30,570
(upbeat music)

254
00:17:43,429 --> 00:17:45,846
(bird calls)

255
00:17:47,682 --> 00:17:51,422
Birds and insects are renowned for their aerial ability,

256
00:17:51,422 --> 00:17:53,712
but mammals have only one representative

257
00:17:53,712 --> 00:17:57,361
capable of powered flight, and that's the bat.

258
00:17:57,361 --> 00:18:00,028
(urgent music)

259
00:18:07,532 --> 00:18:10,292
Like other animals, their senses are adapted

260
00:18:10,292 --> 00:18:12,305
to deal with life above ground.

261
00:18:13,732 --> 00:18:15,892
The saying, being blind as a bat,

262
00:18:15,892 --> 00:18:17,852
simply isn't true.

263
00:18:17,852 --> 00:18:20,519
(urgent music)

264
00:18:33,862 --> 00:18:38,492
The bat world is made up of micro bats and mega bats.

265
00:18:38,492 --> 00:18:42,502
Micro bats hunt for insects at night using echolocation,

266
00:18:42,502 --> 00:18:44,972
and yes, their eyes are small.

267
00:18:44,972 --> 00:18:47,905
But the bigger mega bats have larger eyes.

268
00:18:49,212 --> 00:18:50,772
They don't echolocate,

269
00:18:50,772 --> 00:18:53,182
but forage at night for nectar and fruit,

270
00:18:53,182 --> 00:18:55,122
which they find with their acute sense

271
00:18:55,122 --> 00:18:57,086
of sight and smell.

272
00:18:57,086 --> 00:18:59,753
(urgent music)

273
00:19:12,832 --> 00:19:15,672
The forword facing eyes of flying foxes

274
00:19:15,672 --> 00:19:18,182
are adapted for searching for light colored fruit

275
00:19:18,182 --> 00:19:19,868
and flowers at night.

276
00:19:19,868 --> 00:19:22,535
(urgent music)

277
00:19:29,232 --> 00:19:32,722
Flying foxes see well during the day too.

278
00:19:32,722 --> 00:19:36,002
Their daytime roosts are in large open tree tops,

279
00:19:36,002 --> 00:19:38,107
very visible to passing predators.

280
00:19:38,107 --> 00:19:40,774
(urgent music)

281
00:19:47,952 --> 00:19:49,912
Having excellent eyesight means

282
00:19:49,912 --> 00:19:52,015
they can keep a lookout for enemies.

283
00:19:54,881 --> 00:19:57,381
(birds chirp)

284
00:20:02,462 --> 00:20:05,202
The sense of smell also plays an important part

285
00:20:05,202 --> 00:20:08,342
in finding food for fruit bats.

286
00:20:08,342 --> 00:20:10,152
They sniff out the ripest fruit

287
00:20:10,152 --> 00:20:11,692
with the strongest odor,

288
00:20:11,692 --> 00:20:13,816
and cluster figs are a favorite.

289
00:20:13,816 --> 00:20:16,649
(cheerful music)

290
00:20:20,212 --> 00:20:22,972
Flying foxes are very good climbers

291
00:20:22,972 --> 00:20:25,452
Using their wrist and thumb claw to grip,

292
00:20:25,452 --> 00:20:28,254
they crawl across branches to forage.

293
00:20:28,254 --> 00:20:31,087
(cheerful music)

294
00:20:38,032 --> 00:20:40,552
Their teeth are adapted to their diet,

295
00:20:40,552 --> 00:20:42,102
with canines that pierce

296
00:20:42,102 --> 00:20:44,822
and flattened molars to crush the fruit,

297
00:20:44,822 --> 00:20:47,682
but flying foxes don't eat the fruit whole.

298
00:20:47,682 --> 00:20:49,392
The tongue is used to press the pulp

299
00:20:49,392 --> 00:20:51,332
against the hard ridges of the palette

300
00:20:51,332 --> 00:20:54,232
to extract all the juice which is swallowed,

301
00:20:54,232 --> 00:20:56,645
and then the fibrous part is spat out.

302
00:20:59,462 --> 00:21:02,732
The tongue is lined with small projections called papillae,

303
00:21:02,732 --> 00:21:04,902
and covered with taste buds.

304
00:21:04,902 --> 00:21:07,252
Flying fox tongues are so specialized

305
00:21:07,252 --> 00:21:09,302
with different types of papillae and taste buds

306
00:21:09,302 --> 00:21:11,052
reflecting feeding behavior

307
00:21:11,052 --> 00:21:13,602
that each species can be identified

308
00:21:13,602 --> 00:21:15,517
by tongue morphology alone.

309
00:21:15,517 --> 00:21:18,350
(cheerful music)

310
00:21:24,032 --> 00:21:28,172
Smell also plays a role in social interactions.

311
00:21:28,172 --> 00:21:30,292
Secretions from the bat's shoulder glands

312
00:21:30,292 --> 00:21:32,432
are spread over the body while grooming

313
00:21:32,432 --> 00:21:35,224
and smell is used to recognize each other.

314
00:21:35,224 --> 00:21:38,057
(cheerful music)

315
00:21:49,622 --> 00:21:51,732
Males rub their scent onto tree branches

316
00:21:51,732 --> 00:21:53,502
in the colony to mark a territory,

317
00:21:53,502 --> 00:21:56,325
and to attract passing females.

318
00:22:03,932 --> 00:22:06,702
With their acute senses of sight and smell,

319
00:22:06,702 --> 00:22:09,725
fruit bats are able to live a sky high life.

320
00:22:10,598 --> 00:22:12,931
(birds caw)

321
00:22:17,052 --> 00:22:19,672
In the desert of Australia's interior,

322
00:22:19,672 --> 00:22:22,922
thousands of pelicans seem to miraculously appear

323
00:22:22,922 --> 00:22:25,031
at a vast saltwater lake.

324
00:22:25,031 --> 00:22:28,422
(seagulls caw)

325
00:22:28,422 --> 00:22:32,161
It is a wonder of the Australian Outback.

326
00:22:32,161 --> 00:22:34,994
(cheerful music)

327
00:22:38,562 --> 00:22:41,042
Most of the time, the lake is bone dry,

328
00:22:41,042 --> 00:22:43,352
and has little to sustain life.

329
00:22:43,352 --> 00:22:47,702
It's the last place you would think to find a waterbird.

330
00:22:47,702 --> 00:22:50,702
But every decade or so floodwaters

331
00:22:50,702 --> 00:22:53,132
turn it into an inland sea,

332
00:22:53,132 --> 00:22:57,262
teeming with microscopic animals that feed fish.

333
00:22:57,262 --> 00:22:59,486
And the fish eating pelicans follow.

334
00:22:59,486 --> 00:23:02,236
(cheerful music)

335
00:23:08,252 --> 00:23:10,835
(bird squawks)

336
00:23:21,822 --> 00:23:24,832
It's here the lakes support 10,000 pelicans

337
00:23:24,832 --> 00:23:27,125
breeding a new generation.

338
00:23:27,125 --> 00:23:29,958
(cheerful music)

339
00:23:42,892 --> 00:23:45,002
But these nomads of the sky

340
00:23:45,002 --> 00:23:47,012
have traveled across the vast interior

341
00:23:47,012 --> 00:23:49,755
to reach the fish filled waters from the coast.

342
00:23:52,352 --> 00:23:55,052
How do thousands of pelicans know when

343
00:23:55,052 --> 00:23:58,192
to fly hundreds of kilometers to inland waters?

344
00:23:58,192 --> 00:24:00,682
What cues are they detecting?

345
00:24:00,682 --> 00:24:03,515
(cheerful music)

346
00:24:13,722 --> 00:24:17,252
Bird talk, inbuilt magnetic compasses,

347
00:24:17,252 --> 00:24:19,122
and the ability to hear vibrations

348
00:24:19,122 --> 00:24:21,892
from long distances are just three theories

349
00:24:21,892 --> 00:24:25,372
which try to explain why the birds migrate when they do,

350
00:24:25,372 --> 00:24:26,595
but there's no evidence.

351
00:24:27,479 --> 00:24:30,312
(cheerful music)

352
00:24:38,482 --> 00:24:41,712
Experts think the birds may be using riverbeds

353
00:24:41,712 --> 00:24:43,052
as route maps,

354
00:24:43,052 --> 00:24:45,907
but that doesn't explain what triggers the flight.

355
00:24:45,907 --> 00:24:48,740
(cheerful music)

356
00:24:54,222 --> 00:24:56,502
So the mystery of the lake year pelicans

357
00:24:56,502 --> 00:24:59,185
continues to baffle scientists.

358
00:25:00,387 --> 00:25:02,972
(upbeat music)

359
00:25:02,972 --> 00:25:06,062
The senses are the stars of Animal Super Senses.

360
00:25:06,062 --> 00:25:09,802
And this episode has been no exception.

361
00:25:09,802 --> 00:25:12,192
We've discovered animals use a range of senses

362
00:25:12,192 --> 00:25:14,215
to cope with life in the clouds.

363
00:25:15,832 --> 00:25:17,202
Given the distance

364
00:25:17,202 --> 00:25:19,552
and vast openness of the skies,

365
00:25:19,552 --> 00:25:23,032
animals make the most of what the aerial realm has to offer

366
00:25:23,032 --> 00:25:26,632
and human abilities pale in comparison.

367
00:25:26,632 --> 00:25:29,832
So join us next time on Super Senses

368
00:25:29,832 --> 00:25:33,541
to find out more incredible powers of animal perception.

369
00:25:33,541 --> 00:25:36,208
(upbeat music)