The long migration flights of many species don’t allow for many chances to stop and rest. I’m reading mixed articles and I’m unsure whether it’s safe to sleep on my back or not. I’m 31 weeks pregnant, have a bulged disc and sleeping on my back is the only position I’m comfortable enough to actually get any sleep. Migrating birds may also rely on USWS to rest. Here’s why we should sleep on our side when pregnant. Species that use this adaptation may even be able to sleep while flying! Ducks and waterfowl are particularly good at this, though other birds such as Peregrine Falcons and Eurasian Blackbirds can do this as well. This is called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep (USWS) and it allows the sleeping bird to spring into action quickly from rest if a threat approaches while still being able to satisfactorily rest if no threat arises. Some can even sleep with one eye open, as half of their brain is alert while the other is asleep. Well…they don’t, at least not in the way humans think of a good night’s sleep. Unless they are in a state of torpor, birds tend to sleep in small snatches until startled awake either by a predatory threat, neighbor, or cold conditions. Won’t birds fall off their perch as they sleep?īarred Owlet © Simon Colenutt () Macaulay Library ML282445761 The bare parts of the bird (the beak and the legs) are tucked in to keep warm under the thick blanket of feathers as temperatures drop for the night. Down feathers, the short fluffy feathers under the sleek outer ones, hold in heat. Sounds uncomfortable, right?Īctually, it’s quite warm for the snoozing bird.
Then, the bird will fluff out its down feathers, turn its head around, tuck its beak into its back feathers, and pull one leg up to its belly before falling asleep. These species will find something to perch on, like a branch or a windowsill, for the night. By contrast, most birds are diurnal, meaning they’re awake during the day and asleep at night. During the daytime, they find a safe place and close their eyes to block out the light. Nocturnal birds, like owls and nighthawks, wake up as the sun sets and hunt at night. If you’ve ever seen an owl, then you may know that some birds prefer to fly primarily at night. Nocturnal birds like this Barred Owl are more active at night.
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