“Bats are blind”

It's a common misconception that bats lack the ability to see, often perpetuated by the phrase "blind as a bat." In reality, all bat species possess eyes and can see, with many having excellent vision, especially in low-light conditions. The widespread belief likely stems from the discovery of echolocation, a sophisticated biological sonar system that many bats use to navigate and hunt in the dark.

The scientific understanding of echolocation, primarily developed in the mid-20th century, revealed how bats emit high-frequency sounds and interpret the echoes to create a detailed mental map of their surroundings. This incredible ability led many to assume that bats relied exclusively on sound, rendering their eyesight irrelevant. However, echolocation is an additional sensory tool, not a replacement for vision. Microbats, for example, often use both their eyes and echolocation simultaneously.

Even megabats, often called fruit bats, primarily rely on their keen eyesight and sense of smell to locate food and navigate, particularly during twilight hours. They do not echolocate in the same way microbats do. The persistent myth that bats are blind is a prime example of how a fascinating scientific discovery can inadvertently lead to a misunderstanding of an animal's full capabilities. Their nocturnal habits, combined with their unique sonar system, simply led to the erroneous conclusion that their eyes were useless.