Animals with Amazing Hearing

The human ear can hear a lot, anywhere between 20Hz and 20,000kHz. We have some of the best sense of vision in the animal kingdom, but when it comes to hearing, there are a few animals that have us beat.

Animals have a larger capacity for higher frequencies than humans. Here are just a few animals that have amazing hearing.

Moths

Believe it or not, moths have the best hearing in the animal kingdom! Moths can hear 150 times more than we can. They use their ultra-sensitive high-frequency hearing to evade predators, like bats. So they would need better hearing than those predators.

Bats

The old saying ‘deaf as a bat’ is a bit of an oxymoron. Bats actually have very sensitive hearing. Because they are almost blind, they rely very heavily on their hearing. Using echolocation, they squeak at very high frequencies. The sound bounces off any nearby objects back to the bat, allowing them to ‘see’ where it is.

Dogs

If you’ve ever failed to hear a dog whistle, you’re not alone. Dogs hear frequencies far beyond the human range and can respond to them quite well. Not only is their hearing very sensitive, but also very good a differentiating between sounds… even the difference between their owners’ footsteps and a stranger’s.

Cats

However surprising this may be, cats have hearing similar to dogs, with a range reaching up to 64,000kHz. They are able to swivel their ears even further than dogs, making them more accurate at pinpointing the sound. So when your cat doesn’t seem like it’s hearing you, it’s selective hearing vs. ability.

Owls

As nocturnal animals, owls rely on their sharp sight (which is also some of the best in the animal kingdom) and their hearing. Most species of owls have crooked ears; one is placed slightly more forward and one is placed higher than the other. Additionally, the feathers around their face tunnel the sound toward their ears. The difference in the placement of their ears and their feathers allows them to pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from and aids them in capturing their prey, making them some of the most accurate listeners.

Super cool, right? If you’re interested, check out this video (starts at 2:20) to see it in action.

Dolphins

Dolphins have exceptional hearing from 75,000kHz to 150,000kHz. Interestingly enough, like bats, they also use echolocation to ‘hear’ where they are going. A dolphin will emit a squeak that bounces off objects and back to the dolphin’s lower jaw. The bounce-back of sound vibrations gives a sound map of what might be coming up ahead.

Rats

Rats are exceptionally good at pinpointing where sound is coming from. This is partially due to their ability to hear up to 76,000kHz and because their ears are so close together.

Horses

In the wild, horses are prey animals with lots of predators. Have you ever seen an entire herd of horses laying down at the same time? Probably not, there is always one lookout keeping watch and listening. Horses have a hearing range between 55Hz and 33,000kHz, as well as being able to move their ears in all directions. This makes them very good at locating sound for even a far distance and why they shy away from loud sounds.

Pigeons (Not going to lie, I was a bit surprised by this one.) 

Unlike the other animals on this list, pigeons have very sensitive lower-frequency hearing, as low as 0.5Hz. This is sometimes referred to as infrasound; like hearing volcanoes, earthquakes, and storms. This type of hearing allows them to find shelter before the event occurs. It also contributes to their amazing navigation skills; making them the best navigators in the world.

Did any of the animals on our list surprise you? Let us know in the comments. For more fun facts about hearing check out #HearingFactFriday on our blog