The only mammals capable of true flight, the chiropteran is a large and very diverse group, whose members can be found living in a wide range of habitats on every continent, except Antarctica. In reality, all bats can see, but some species can see better than others. However, many bats have evolved a highly-specialized sonar system called echolocation, which allows them to navigate and detect prey in total darkness. During flight, bats emit pulses of sound from their mouths or noses and analyze the returning echoes for information. The system is so accurate that bats can determine distance, size, shape, texture, and even the species of their prey from the returning echoes.
Bats can detect objects as thin as a human hair.
Many bats are remarkably intelligent. During World War Two, the United States Navy actually trained free-tailed bats to carry explosives into enemy buildings. At Shaver's Creek, bat houses were installed, beginning in 1989, to help boost local bat populations. By far, the most common occupants are female little brown bats, who use the boxes to raise their young. Numbers often appear to swell in late July and August as the juveniles begin to fly.