#TuesdayThoughts: baby owls sleep like baby humans; a few hours at a time mostly during the day. Baby owls also show high levels of REM activity during sleep. As they get older owls seem to dream less… pic.twitter.com/D0AZNZdCNI — Pulp Librarian (@PulpLibrarian) March 10, 2020
If you couldn’t imagine baby owls getting any cuter, it turns out that they can. Consider for a second—have you ever thought about how the creatures take a nap? We know that adult owls sleep upright, but the owlets can’t do that yet as their heads are too heavy. So until they get large enough to nap sitting up, the tiny birds have an alternate solution; they lie down on their stomachs and turn their heads to the side before drifting to dreamland.
Miraculously, the young owls do this all while resting on a tree branch. And they don’t fall off, thanks in part to the strength of their back toe called the hallux. The hallux tethers the creature to the branch and it won’t move until the owlet bends its leg.
Journalist Mark Rees recently made his own discovery of how baby owls sleep. In a now-viral tweet, he shared a picture of an owlet who is napping like we’d imagine a human would—on its stomach and totally conked out. To see more of this adorable sight, scroll down.
Baby owls (owlets) sleep on their stomachs laying face down, and it's adorable.
I've just discovered that baby owls sleep face down like THIS because their heads are too heavy. Also, I don't think I've seen owl legs before…. pic.twitter.com/dfKii2JtS8 — Mark Rees (@reviewwales) June 21, 2020
Teenage owl sleep habits are way outside my lane, but I found (less hilarious) confirming accounts. Kathy C of Dusty Lane encountered this face-planted napping friend: https://t.co/dqVgFQdUq7 pic.twitter.com/y22awph0Xf — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) June 3, 2019
The owlets don't sleep for very long, and when they wake, they look like many of us do.
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foxontherox on March 31st, 2021 at 03:56 UTC »
Like an orange on a toothpick.
Shhhhhh86 on March 31st, 2021 at 03:13 UTC »
I find this hilarious and cute... The pic just really does it 😂😂😂
DaaCHAMP on March 31st, 2021 at 02:34 UTC »
Had one to many rodents.