What’s new: Some bats, like birds, migrate long distances. But these long-distance bat migrations have been somewhat of a mystery to researchers, especially since only a few species embark on them. Now, in a new study, researchers have mapped the odyssey of common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) using innovative tiny trackers. And the results have surprised them: the trackers reveal that the noctule travels far across Europe by “surfing” warm winds that precede storms.

What the study says:

What this means:

Charlotte Roemer, a conservation biologist at the National Museum of Natural History in France, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Science that the new technology “revolutionizes the tracking of bat movements and will surely help researchers answer many questions about migration.”

Hurme added that greater understanding of bat migration can help prevent collisions with wind turbines, which is a major problem.

“More studies like this will pave the way for a system to forecast bat migration. We can be stewards of bats, helping wind farms to turn off their turbines on nights when bats are streaming through,” Hurme said in the video statement.

Banner image of a common noctule courtesy of Kamran Safi/Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.

This story first appeared on Mongabay