How Birds Sleep and Their Posture

Most birds are diurnal, with the exception of nocturnal birds such as owls. This means they are awake during the day and sleep at night. Wild and domestic birds both tend to sleep in the places they inhabit during the day. Some roost in flocks, and some sleep individually, but the majority of birds sleep perched, with similar postures.

  1. Typical Sleep Posture

    • The typical posture of sleeping birds is to sit, grasping a branch. When birds sleeps, their feet naturally constrict around the branch, holding them firmly in place. These branches could be low to the ground, such as in the case of roosting chickens or turkeys, or nestled high in a tree. Birds at rest will tuck their heads over one shoulder or under a wing, and nestle their bills in the plumage along the back. Sleeping birds also fluff their feathers to retain body heat.

    Terrestrial Birds

    • Flightless birds such as the ostrich will spend seven to eight hours a night sleeping lightly, with their head erect. For up to 10 minutes at a time, however, these tetrapods abandon that posture to lay on their sides and stretch their necks out ahead, sleeping deeply. Emus have a similar habit, but rest their heads along their backs. Ground-dwelling birds such as pheasants sleep under brush on the ground or on low branches, tucking in appendages and making themselves as small and huddled up as possible.

    One Eye Open

    • Birds sleeping with one eye open can still make behavioral decision while asleep.

      In a process known as unilateral eye closure, or unihemispheric slow wave sleep, birds are able to sleep while keeping one eye open and half of their brain awake. In this manner, birds can be alert for potential predators while also resting their body. In situations where the bird feels safer, they are able to choose to sleep with both eyes closed, resting both halves of their brain. Birds are the only animals on Earth that are known to exhibit this much control over their resting state.

    Asleep While Flying

    • Even when birds sleep in flight, post-recovery sleep after long flights is necessary to live.

      Evidence exists to suggest that some birds, especially migratory birds or birds that spend most of their time in flight, will sleep while in the air. Because of the unilateral eye closure ability of birds, research indicates that some birds may be able to navigate in flight while also getting some much-needed shut-eye. Migrating birds that sleep in flight may be taking hundreds of short "naps," allowing a portion of the brain and body to sleep, then waking up to resume conscious flight.