HOW DO CROWS SLEEP

When birds sleep, they protect vulnerable body parts by burying them in their feathers.
A bird’s feathers create insulating air pockets that help it keep warm, and by tucking feet or the bill into the feathers, less body heat is lost.
When a bird’s bill is buried deeply in its feathers, it is also able to breathe air warmed by its own body heat.
Another adaptation birds have for safe sleep is the construction of their feet and legs.
A flexor tendon contracts the bird’s toes and talons when the legs are bent, such as when a bird is nestled down for roosting.

This means the automatic, at rest position of the foot is for the talons to be tightly locked around a perch, making it impossible for the bird to fall while sleeping.
The tendon only releases when the bird voluntarily straightens its legs, as it would for taking off.
There is little data available about how long birds sleep at once, but studies indicate that birds may sleep longer during longer nights.
This may be because diurnal birds are not able to forage or engage in other activities without sufficient light, and so sleeping is the next natural item on their to-do lists.
Birds are able to “power nap” during the day, however, and can catch up on sleep on longer days whenever they are in a safe, secure spot.

Help Birds Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleeping can be hazardous for birds, making them more vulnerable to predators.
Birders can help all birds get a good night’s sleep, however, with several easy steps.
Create a bird-friendly landscape that includes great shelter for sleeping, such as a brush pile, native coniferous trees, or roosting boxes.
Discourage feral cats and other predators that can threaten sleeping birds, as well as protect birdhouses and roosting boxes from predators.