9 Animals with Amazing Hearing

Our human ears can hear a wide range of sounds. On average, a person with healthy hearing can hear between 20 Hz and 20,000 kHz. But have you ever wondered how our hearing abilities stack up against those of the animal kingdom?  

Animals have honed their abilities so that they can survive and avoid predators, and many animals have a much larger capacity for hearing higher frequencies than we humans do. Here are just a few animals that have impressive hearing capabilities. 

Moths 

Believe it or not, moths have the best hearing in the animal kingdom! Moths can hear 150 times better than humans with healthy hearing. Given that a moth’s most feared predator is a bat, excellent hearing is crucial for survival. Moths use their ultra-sensitive high-frequency hearing to avoid bats, and they can even emit ultrasonic chirps that confuse the bat’s sonar system. Thanks to this secret weapon, moths can often evade their predators. 

Bats

Have you ever heard the saying “deaf as a bat”? That’s actually a bit of an oxymoron. Bats can hear some of the highest frequencies of all mammals. Because they are nearly blind, bats rely heavily on their sense of hearing. Most species use echolocation, meaning they emit high-frequency sounds and listen for their echoes. This is how they can navigate and hunt for food (like moths) in the dark. Most bat echolocation sounds can reach frequencies of up to 200,000 Hz. 

Dogs 

Have you ever noticed your dog’s ears perking up at a sound you can’t hear? Dogs have much better hearing than humans. This is why it’s difficult for humans to hear a dog whistle. Dogs can hear frequencies far beyond human range. They’re also good at differentiating between sounds – many dogs can even distinguish between their owners’ footsteps and a stranger’s.  

Cats 

Do you ever feel like your cat is ignoring you? Well, that’s likely true. Cats have similar hearing to dogs, with a range reaching up to 64,000 kHz. They can swivel their ears even further than dogs, making them more accurate at pinpointing where sounds are coming from. 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 sense of sight (which is also some of the best in the animal kingdom) as well as 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 faces 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. 

Pretty cool, right? If you’re interested, check out this video (starts at 2:20) to see an owl’s hearing in action. 

Dolphins 

Dolphins have exceptional hearing from 20 Hz to 150,000 kHz. Like bats, dolphins rely on echolocation to hunt for food and communicate with each other. A dolphin will emit a squeak that bounces off objects and back to the dolphin’s lower jaw. The bounce-back of sound vibrations provides a “sound map” of what might be coming up ahead.

Rats 

Rats are exceptionally good at pinpointing exactly where a sound is coming from. They can hear up to 76,000 kHz. A rat’s ears can pick up sounds that a human ear can’t, such as the sound of a thumb and forefinger rubbing together. When keeping rats as pets, it’s important to be sensitive to the fact that ordinary noises may be distressing to rats.  

Horses 

In the wild, horses have a lot of predators. This is why it’s not common to see an entire herd of horses lying down at the same time – there is always one keeping watch for predators. Horses have a hearing range between 55Hz and 33,000 kHz. While their hearing isn’t as good as a dog’s or cat’s, they can still hear a much wider range of sound than humans can. However, horses aren’t skilled at determining where a sound is coming from. This is perhaps because their vision is good enough that they don’t need to. 

Pigeons 

I was a bit surprised by this one. Unlike the other amazing animals on this list, pigeons have very sensitive lower-frequency hearing. They can hear frequencies as low as .5Hz. This is referred to as infrasound, and this type of hearing allows them to find shelter before storms occur. It’s possible that being able to hear the noises that we can’t hear contributes to the pigeon’s incredible navigation skills. In fact, they are the best navigators in the world.