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Does This 400-Year-Old Renaissance Painting Show An Animal Behavior Only "Discovered" In 2025?
IFLScience • • health
Key Points:
- A 1600s painting by Brueghel depicts a bat carrying a bird, a behavior officially documented only in 2025, suggesting historical awareness of this predatory action.
- Researchers found that historical artworks, often overlooked by natural history academics, provide valuable records of animal species and behaviors known to past civilizations.
- The painting includes a diverse range of species from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, highlighting extensive historical trade and ecological knowledge.
- The bat in the painting is identified as a greater noctule bat, the same species recently documented preying on birds, but experts believe Brueghel used artistic license since bats cannot carry prey while echolocating.
- It is speculated that Brueghel might have learned about this bird-eating behavior through indirect observation or stories during his travels, underscoring the value of historical art in ecological studies.
