Can Birds Become Overly Tired?

Birds can become overly tired through illness, excessive training and from not receiving sufficient sleep. Many bird species also travel considerable distances during migration. The American golden-plover covers a distance of 2,400-miles from Nova Scotia to South America, while the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird must cross the Gulf of Mexico during its migration. These journeys are exhausting, particularly if the birds encounter rough weather.

  1. Migratory Birds

    • Migration is an exhausting and dangerous ordeal. Migratory birds, which fly thousands of miles between South and Central America and Canada twice every year, do not travel the distance without stopping. These species become tired and look for safe areas where they can land to feed and rest for short periods of time. Migratory species which are not able to break their journey may not survive the migration. Those species, including warblers, that need to cross large expanses of water during migration, become exhausted when they face headwinds and large numbers eventually fall into the waves and drown.

    Ill Health

    • Pet birds that are ill may seem tired and spend extended periods sitting with their feathers ruffled up. A number of members of the parrot family are susceptible to chlamydophilosis, which affects the cells of these birds. Tiredness or lethargy is typically associated with this condition, although affected birds will also show a decreased appetite and lose weight. Many disease conditions will cause tiredness, as the bird's energy resources are channeled to the immune system, which is fighting the illness.

    Long Days

    • Pet parrots typically become overly tired when they are kept up till late each evening. Birds housed in the family room are often kept up while their owners watch television or entertain guests. Parrots in the wild sleep during the hours of darkness and are not accustomed to going without sleep for such long periods of time. The lack of sleep depresses a bird's immune system and predisposes it to illness. These sleep-deprived birds eventually become stressed and develop abnormal behavior patterns, such as biting and screeching.

    Lengthy Training Periods

    • Teaching a bird to mimic is stressful for the parrot, particularly if the bird is not accustomed to the presence of people. Even hand-reared parrots will become overly tired if lessons continue for more than 15 to 20 minutes. Parrots coaxed onto the hand of their owner during these training sessions may become exhausted much faster. Training sessions should always be stopped as soon as the parrot shows signs of tiredness or loses concentration.