Europe’s largest bat has been found to possess an impressive ability: capturing and consuming birds mid-flight, a behavior that seems to have been observed by a painter centuries before scientists confirmed it. Researchers recently uncovered further evidence of this behavior hidden in a painting by 17th-century Flemish artist Jan Brueghel the Elder. The study was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Mirjam Knörnschild, an animal behavior expert at Humboldt University in Berlin, commended the study as a remarkable piece of natural history detective work that bridges modern research with historical art.
In the painting titled “Air,” various birds soar through the canvas alongside three bat species. Notably, in the upper right corner, researchers identified what appears to be a large noctule bat with a limp songbird in its jaws. Ecologist Miguel Clavero, who led the investigation, initially aimed to document all the animals in the painting and sought the expertise of a noctule bat researcher to confirm the bat’s behavior.
The journey to confirm the greater noctule bats’ bird-catching ability began in 2001 when researchers discovered bird feathers in bat feces, hinting at their predatory nature. Last year, scientists used advanced technology, including equipping bats with mini “backpacks” to monitor their movements and sounds, to verify this behavior.
Clavero noted the astonishment shared by researchers upon discovering the painting’s depiction of the bat’s feeding behavior. While it remains uncertain how Brueghel the Elder acquired this knowledge, experts speculate that he might have observed bird remains near bat colonies, inspiring his depiction.
While some experts suggest that Brueghel’s painting may have been influenced by artistic imagination rather than direct observations, the discovery underscores the potential for historical artwork to reveal new insights into wildlife. Ecologists like Danilo Russo emphasize the importance of revisiting historical sources to uncover hidden aspects of natural history.
The remarkable connection between art and science showcased in this study paves the way for further exploration of historical art as a window into past ecological dynamics and biodiversity.