Baby Owl Sleeping: Why Owlets Sleep in Their Tummy?

Owlets do not sleep like grown-up owls. They sleep on their tummy for a reason.

Baby Owl Sleeping on Its Tummy

There are many photos of owlets sleeping on their tummy on social media. The sight surprised many as they didn't expect that such adorable animals positioned themselves in such a way to doze.

One photo shared on Facebook featured a baby owl sleeping with its face down. Several reacted to the photo shared on Facebook, and many didn't hide how surprised they were at the sight of an owlet lying flat with its face and tummy on the floor.

One said he thought the owlet was dead. Another commented that she couldn't imagine owlets sleeping in that position.

Earthly Mission says they do so because their heads are too heavy to sleep perched. Bird Advisors noted that the position appears funny and unusual. However, baby owls are just like human babies; they cannot carry the weight of their heads.

The outlet noted that even when on a branch, a baby owl will slump over and grip on with their talons. They do not fall off since their feet remain close.

One netizen asked if all baby owls sleep in such a position. It's not always the case.

Baby owls do not always sleep with their faces down; occasionally, they will rest against the sides of the nest or a sibling. However, young owls typically lie face down because their neck muscles are still developing and cannot support their enormously heavy heads.

How Adult Owls Sleep?

When owls reach adulthood, they sleep differently. Since most owls hunt at night, they sleep most of the day.

However, several species of owls sleep on the ground, and one even sleeps underground. Owls often rest in trees or rocky locations.

Owls frequently avoid fully opening their eyes throughout the day and typically close their eyelids while sleeping. They shield their delicate eyes from bright light while making eye colors conspicuous to predators.

Owls are always on guard and prepared to take flight at the first sign of danger, even when sleeping. Due to their preference for peaceful, protected locations where they can snooze safely, sleeping owls are difficult to spot. You're not likely to witness more than one owl napping because most owls live alone. Of course, there are always exceptions, and there are a lot of mysteries to solve when examining the behavior of these secretive birds.

Max Planck Institute for Ornithology researchers have shown that owls experience REM sleep, or the type of sleep we experience when we dream. Like humans, owls experience a decrease in REM sleep as they age.

Because its back toe, the hallux, clings onto the branch while it sleeps, owls do not fall out of the tree while sleeping. The bird must flex its leg for the hallux to open or release.

Check out more news and information on Sleep in Science Times.