A new smartphone app, called the iBats app, allows enthusiasts to capture the ultrasonic chirps of bats in their localities.

The iBat app, which is available for the iPhone and Android devices for free, is capable of recording the sounds of bats that are inaudible to the human ear.

The app that requires users to plug in an ultrasonic microphone can record the sounds of 900 different bat species from around the globe.

The iBat app has been designed for the 700 members of the volunteer bat-tracking website iBats. Recorded sounds will be uploaded to the database, where sounds will be identified with the help of specialist software.

Kate Jones, project manager at iBats, said that the presence of bats tell us a lot about environment’s health, and the iBats app would encourage more people to contribute to the conservation of wildlife by allowing them to monitor their local bats.

Speaking on the new app, Jones said, "We hope the iBats app will encourage more people to monitor their local bats and make a contribution to the global conservation of wildlife."

The App Store and Android Market are offering the iBats app for free.