Hummingbirds are remarkable little birds that have captured the fascination of people for centuries. Their ability to hover mid-air and fly backwards sets them apart from other birds. Hummingbirds are also known for their high metabolisms and almost constant activity during the day. This raises an interesting question – with their high energy lifestyle, how do hummingbirds get the rest they need?
Do hummingbirds sleep at night?
Yes, like most birds, hummingbirds do sleep at night. They go into a hibernation-like state called torpor where their metabolic rate and body temperature drop dramatically. This allows them to conserve energy overnight when they cannot feed.
During torpor, a hummingbird’s body temperature drops from around 105°F down to as low as 50°F. Their heart rate goes from around 500 beats per minute down to just 50-180 beats per minute. Their breathing also slows down from around 250 breaths per minute to about 30-50 breaths per minute.
By lowering their body temperature and slowing their organ functions, hummingbirds are able to reduce their energy needs by 95% or more during torpor. This allows them to survive the long nighttime fast until they can resume feeding again in the morning.
Where do hummingbirds sleep?
Hummingbirds will often sleep alone, perched on a small twig, branch or other surface like a leaf, wire or side of a tree. They prefer sheltered spots like thick foliage, crevices, nooks or branches where they are more protected and concealed from predators while sleeping.
Young hummingbirds in a nest will huddle around each other for warmth and protection. The mother hummingbird may also stay in the nest to sleep with her chicks.
Some unique facts about where hummingbirds sleep:
- They don’t always return to the same sleeping spot every night.
- In cold environments, they may seek out cavities in trees, nests or man-made shelters for insulation.
- During migration, they sleep alone on branches, wires, poles, sides of buildings, etc along their journey.
- In captivity, they may be provided a perch or hammock to sleep on in their enclosure.
How long do hummingbirds sleep for?
On average, hummingbirds sleep around 10-12 hours each night. However, they do not get this sleep in one continuous block of time.
Instead, hummingbirds sleep in short bursts and wake up periodically throughout the night. These brief arousals allow them to readjust their position, stretch, preen their feathers and even forage if needed.
A typical pattern for a hummingbird’s overnight sleep may look like this:
Time of night | Activity |
---|---|
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Sleep in bursts of 20-30 minutes |
10:00 pm – 2:00 am | Deep torpor sleep |
2:00 am – 5:00 am | Some intermittent arousals and short sleep bouts |
5:00 am – Sunrise | More continuous sleep until dawn |
So while they sleep around 10 hours total, this includes periods of wakefulness mixed in. The longest uninterrupted sleep session is usually around 2-4 hours in the middle of the night when they enter deep torpor.
Why do hummingbirds sleep in short bursts?
There are a few key reasons why hummingbirds sleep in short bursts overnight instead of one long sleep session:
- Avoid predators – Waking up periodically allows them to be more alert to possible danger.
- Monitor the environment – Brief arousals let them check their surroundings for changes.
- Maintain muscle tone – Short sleep bouts prevent muscle atrophy from long periods of inactivity.
- Foraging needs – If energy is low, they may need to feed at night between sleep.
- Thermoregulation – Arousal allows them to warm up if they get too cold while sleeping.
The short, intermittent sleep pattern helps meet hummingbirds’ physiological needs while also allowing them to remain vigilant against the threats of their environment even as they rest.
Do hummingbirds ever sleep during the day?
Hummingbirds may occasionally nap or go into short bouts of torpor during the day, but in general they do most of their sleeping at night. Here are some instances when daytime sleep could occur:
- Young hummingbirds may nap and sleep more during the day while growing and developing in the nest.
- Adults may nap for very brief periods during the day if extremely tired from migration or periods of bad weather.
- On cold days when sufficient food is not available, they may go into torpor to conserve energy.
- Females incubating eggs in the nest may nap on and off during the day.
However, most daytime sleep or torpor occurs only briefly and out of necessity. Hummingbirds rely on feeding during daylight hours to meet their high energy demands, so excessive daytime sleep would be counterproductive.
Can hummingbirds sleep while hovering?
No, hummingbirds cannot truly sleep while hovering or engaged in flight. They must come to a stationary perch or nest in order to sleep. However, there are some misconceptions around this topic.
Sometimes hummingbirds may appear to be sleeping in mid-air when they are simply perching in place very briefly. At other times, they may go into a very short torpor of a few seconds to a couple minutes while perching. This can make them appear asleep while hovering.
While they can reduce their energy use slightly during these ultrashort bouts, they cannot reach the deep torpor state that provides true restorative sleep. Full sleep and torpor only happen when the birds are fully stationary.
Do hummingbirds sleep migrate?
Yes, hummingbirds do sleep while migrating. Migration is an exhausting process that requires a lot of energy, so sleep is essential along the journey. Here’s how hummingbird migration sleep works:
- They sleep at stopover points along their migration route each night.
- On longer flights over barriers like the Gulf of Mexico, they may tap into torpor while gliding to rest in flight.
- They sleep in bursts overnight to refuel and recover energy at stopovers before moving on.
- Young birds on their first migration likely need more total sleep time than experienced adults.
- Some migrating hummingbirds supplement overnight sleep with short daytime naps when needed.
Finding safe and adequate sleep spots along migration routes is challenging but necessary for hummingbirds to complete their incredible migratory journeys.
Do hummingbirds have REM sleep?
It is not known for certain if hummingbirds experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep like humans and other mammals do. However, some experts believe they may have primitive versions of REM sleep based on the following:
- Their brains show electrical activity patterns during sleep similar to REM sleep.
- They sometimes exhibit rapid eye movements when transitioning in and out of sleep.
- Studies show their sleep is deeper and more restful in longer uninterrupted bouts.
- Their intermittent arousals overnight resemble REM/non-REM sleep cycles in mammals.
More research is still needed, but it appears likely that hummingbirds have an early evolutionary form of REM sleep that provides mental as well as physical restoration during their slumber.
Do hummingbirds snore when sleeping?
No, hummingbirds do not snore when they are sleeping or in torpor overnight. Snoring occurs when air passes over relaxed tissues in the throat, causing them to vibrate audibly. Here’s why hummingbirds don’t snore:
- Their respiratory rates are very low during sleep, so limited air movement.
- Smaller birds like hummingbirds lack the tissues that can vibrate to cause snoring.
- Their closed beaks when sleeping prevent air from moving through their mouths.
- Their respiratory anatomy is not conducive to airway obstruction or snoring sounds.
Hummingbirds may make occasional soft squeaking sounds as they settle into sleep, but they do not snore. Their breathing is too slow and their anatomy too small to generate snoring noises as they rest.
Do hummingbirds snore when sick?
It is highly unlikely for hummingbirds to snore even if they are ill. Upper respiratory infections that can cause snoring in other animals are extremely rare in hummingbirds. Their respiratory anatomy and sleep habits make it difficult for them to develop snoring issues.
While snoring is not a concern, sickness can cause them to sleep more deeply and for longer periods. But they will not audibly snore. The only sounds sick hummingbirds may make while sleeping are soft chirps or whimpers if they are having breathing difficulty.
How do hummingbirds sleep in captivity?
For hummingbirds kept in zoos, sanctuaries or private collections, appropriate sleeping conditions are vital to their health and wellbeing. Here are some ways captive hummingbirds are provided with proper sleep:
- Enclosures must have one or more perching sites suitable for sleep. These include small stable branches, ropes, shelves or hammocks.
- Nocturnal lighting should simulate natural dimming at dusk to cue sleep onset.
- Adequate shelter, cover and temperature regulation allow comfortable torpor sleep.
- Nesting materials may be provided for females housing chicks to sleep in a nest overnight.
- CCTV cameras can monitor their overnight activity patterns non-invasively.
Mimicking natural conditions as much as possible helps ensure captive hummingbirds get the quality rest they need for good welfare in human care.
Fun facts about hummingbird sleep
- Torpor slows their metabolism so much that it’s about 5% of their normal resting rate.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings of their brainwaves show sleep stages like other species.
- Young hummingbirds may “power nap” for about 15 minutes at a time on busy days.
- Adults can drop their body temperature by up to 50°F during overnight torpor.
- Some species can slow their heart rate from 500 bpm down below 100 bpm while asleep.
Conclusion
Hummingbirds have captivated people for ages with their aerial abilities, but they spend up to half their lives in an entirely different state – asleep! Their remarkable capacity to reduce their metabolic needs, temperature and heart rate allows them to get through long nights on minimal energy. While their sleep habits are unusual, they are well adapted to give hummingbirds the rest they need to support their dazzling daytime activities.