How Do Parrots Sleep? (Parrots Sleeping Habits)

You love parenting and caring for parrots because they attract you and imitate your voice, but do you know how do parrots sleep? How are their sleep cycles and what makes them fall asleep? Let’s discuss your favorite pet bird parrot in this How do Parrots sleep article.

Parrots, the scientific name Psittaciformes, belonging to Psittacidae are colorful birds with a curved beak, and zygodactyl feet, which means they have feet with four toes, two pointing forward and two backward. Parrots usually live in the warm regions of the world, but we humans have caged them at our residences from the bygone era for enjoyment and amusement.

What Are The Tips For Promoting Good Sleep To Your Pet Parrot?

While petting parrots, we should keep in mind their traits, sleep cycles, and the surrounding climate. They are of different colors and sizes, which range from 5 inches to 30 inches from head to tail. The Life spans of parrots and the species alike are about 75 to 80 years. 

How Many Hours Do Parrots Sleep?

Parrots are birds who live in tropical and subtropical regions or where there is warmth. In equatorial regions, the sun shines for 12 hours during the day and sets for 12 hours at night. The birds and the habitants at such places are habitual to this day-night cycle and work accordingly. Parrots habitually need to sleep for 12 hours.

The best time for them to sleep is at night because they are habitual to this routine. We cage parrots and birds in our homes and have to pet them for a long time in human history. Sometimes we do not allow parrots to take proper sleep, which leads them to behave unusually. Or we try to change the sleeping patterns of our feathered friends according to our routine.

The sleep duration is different for different parrots. Some parrots sleep for 8 hours and some for 10 hours, but most parrots take 12 hours of sleep. It does not mean that you can not wake them while they are asleep, but you should allow them to complete their 12 hours of sleeping, which they can complete in naps during your rest time. These naps can be short, long, frequent, or infrequent, depending on the last sleep cycle. 

Baby and old parrots ‌sleep for 12-14 hours. You should not awaken parrots randomly because by doing so they can get frightened and bite you. While they are asleep, ‌cover their cage, dim the lights, and limit sounds at your home. Any kind of hindrance and noise can break their sleep, which leads to disturbing behaviors in them. Like you, they are also creatures, taking complete care of them is your duty.

Do Parrots Sleep With Their Eyes Open?

Yes, scientists call it peeking. Peeking is a naturally developed defensive mechanism with evolution in birds and parrots. While sleeping, parrots peek, for protection from predators and dangers. Parrots ‌sleep with one eye open to monitor their surroundings and prevent them from life risks. 

One hemisphere of their brain helps them sleep and the other monitors the surroundings. This is called Uni hemispheric slow-wave sleep. Parrots sleep with one eye open in potentially threatening ecological zones. If you wonder how birds fly while standing up and flying, Unihemispheric slow-wave sleep is the answer. Some of the potential threats are the predators’ attack and fright of the sudden changes in the surroundings.

Do Parrots Sleep With Both Eyes Closed? When the surroundings are calm and there is no observable thread, parrots ‌enjoy sleeping with both eyes closed. You should take care of your parrots and protect them from danger. By doing so, they can enjoy sleep with both hemispheres of the brain like you. Limit the sounds, darken the area, and cover the cage with a light blanket to keep them safe and free from danger.

Sometimes because of the illness, they can suffer from sleep loss, which will lead them to make some behavioral changes. 

What You Should Know About Parrots Sleep?

If you are a caring pet owner, you may be concerned about their diet, cage, toys, and many more. Sleeping is also an integral part of their health and daily routine. But have you ever thought about how birds sleep and how they differ from other animals?

😴Parrots sleeping patterns

Birds follow the cycle of Non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep. Which means both cycles are shorter. Non-rapid eye movement sleeps around two and a half minutes, while rapid eye movement sleep is about nine seconds. Birds’ sleeping pattern is different from other animals as they can sleep with one eye open, which is known as unihemispheric slow-wave sleep.

Birds can alert themselves to potential predators while they are asleep. Even though some other animals follow the same pattern, only birds can control their brain when they sleep. The birds follow a sleep pattern that will not lose much muscle tone, even in deep sleep. They fluff up their feathers to cover its body to maintain their body temperature.

💤 Parrots’ sleep duration

Not only do parrots, even humans feel grumpy if we do not get enough sleep in a day. Proper sleep is an essential factor that affects the health of a parrot. You should ensure that your bird is getting enough sleep daily. Most parrots need 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night to keep themselves energetic and active throughout the day. If your bird cannot sleep properly for several days, it can result in mood change, lack of energy, and a weakened immune system, and it can be affected by various diseases or illnesses. 

Well, some species sleep more than 12 hours while others less than eight depending on their size, physical activities, age, and health condition. Most parrots sleep an average of 12 hours from sunset to sunrise. In the case of baby parrots, they need more sleep than mature parrots because they are in the growing and developing stages. Sleeping is the best option for baby parrots to conserve energy. 

😴 Parrot sleeping position

Parrots sleep in different positions the same as we do. It’s necessary to monitor in which positions your parrot is sleeping so you can understand how they feel. Some of the common sleeping positions of parrots are:

1. Standing up

Standing up is the most common sleeping position of many birds. We relax our feet and legs while sleeping. But in the case of parrots, it’s different. They can lock their toe joint and grip firmly onto a perch while they are in a deep sleep. So you don’t have to worry about them sleeping in a standing position. 

2. Sleeping at the bottom of the cage

Parrots usually find a place where they can sleep comfortably and safely. If your parrot feels tired or ill, they try to settle itself to the bottom of the cage. Parrots prefer this position when something is wrong. 

3. Head down position

If your parrot is sleeping in a head-down position, it indicates that they are in a deep and comfortable sleep. During this position, they rotate its head slightly and tuck them down into their feathers to increase the temperature and escape the cold.

4. Standing upside down

 Parrots occasionally sleep upside down. Some species can only continue in this position for a long time. It is not a common position for non-hanging species to sleep upside down.  

5. Sleeping on the back or side

Seeing your parrots sleeping while lying on their back or side position can be concerning. The parrots sleep on their back only if there is bedding underneath them. If your birdies are following this position, check whether it is ok. 

6. Sleeping on one leg

Most parrots sleep on one leg, and the other leg will tuck under its feathers. Parrots feel warm, stable, and secure sleeping in this position. 

💤 Parrots’ sleeping environment

Providing a good sleeping environment is the best thing that you can do for your parrot. Your parrot requires a quiet and dark room to sleep in without any fear through the night. Some factors can affect the sleeping behavior of your pet, such as light, temperature, noise, and cage location. Things we should consider to provide them with comfortable sleeping are:

1. You need to place the cage where they feel safe and secure. Because parrots often face night fright due to several reasons. So you should keep their cage where predators cannot reach your pet. 
2. During their sleep, make sure there is no light entering their cage. Excess light can interrupt their sleep during the night. 
3. Noice is the other factor that can make your parrots frightened. If your parrot’s cage is near a noisy place, it cannot sleep properly. They are sensitive to loud noises like horns, sirens, home appliances, or other sound-emitting objects. So, try to keep their cage in a silent place.
4. Parrots need a warm environment to sleep in, so they fluff their feathers to keep them warm and retain body heat. You can cover the cage at night to keep your bird warm.

😴Parrots sleep disorder

If your parrot is not getting enough sleep, it can cause sleeping disorders. They can become anxious due to not getting enough sleep and build behavioral changes in them. Lack of proper sleep can mentally and physically affect your parrot. So it is crucial to identify the cause and solve them as soon as possible. 

Parrots are so sensitive that they can be easily frightened by certain things. Especially at night, they think of getting attacked by predators. If you notice your bird is facing night fright, try to figure out the reasons. Many movements at night can frighten them, like passing cars, trees moving in the breeze, barking dogs, loud sounds, and many more. All you can do is, relocate the cage from such a surrounding and cover it with a cage cover.

💤Parrots sleeping habits

Wild parrots have a sleeping pattern that depends on the sunrise and sunset. In their 24 hours of life, they sleep for 12 hours and wake for 12 hours. Climatic changes also affect the sleeping habits of some species. Tropical birds sleep longer because they need a warmer climate to sleep. 

Tropic parrots such as African gray, Macaws, Cockatoos, Senegal, Cape parrots, Red belled, and Ringneck parrots may need 12- hours of sleep daily. Some nocturnal birds are active throughout the night. Their sleeping pattern is different from that of diurnal birds. Diurnal birds are awake during the day and spend time doing their daily activities. In the case of parrots in captivity, they are diurnal, and nocturnal parrots are rare to find. 

Tips For Promoting Good Sleep 

You can provide your bird with safe and comfortable surroundings for a good sleep. If your bird is stressed out and shows signs of aggression, you can make them comfortable by following tips.    

🔷You can start with a sleep routine to shape your bird’s behavior. 

🔷Ensure that the cage is in the correct position and allows them to sleep comfortably.

🔷Covering the cage can help to block the light entering. You can purchase a cage cover or cover it with a cloth or sheet.

🔷You can provide a sleeping accessory such as a snuggle hut. A snuggle hut can block the noise entering the cage and allow a night of uninterrupted sleep. Parrots can use it as a hiding place from predators.

🔷Allow different levels of perches in their cage that serve as a sleeping mattress. 

Sleep cages can be efficacious for better sleep for your parrot because they are meant for comfort and ease. Put the sleep cage in a separate room or a dark place and free from family activities and sound. 

Summarizing...

Sleep duration	Most parrots need 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. Some species sleep more than 12 hours while others sleep less than 8 hours depending on their size, physical activities, age, and health condition. Baby parrots need more sleep than mature parrots.
Sleeping position	Parrots sleep in different positions such as standing up, at the bottom of the cage, head-down position, standing upside down, sleeping on the back or side, and on one leg.
Sleeping environment	Parrots need a quiet and dark room to sleep in without any fear through the night. The cage should be placed where they feel safe and secure, free from any predators. Light, noise, and temperature should be controlled to provide a comfortable environment.
Sleep disorder	Lack of proper sleep can mentally and physically affect parrots. Sleep disorders can be caused by not getting enough sleep or night fright due to external factors. Identifying the cause and solving it is crucial for the well-being of the parrot.

Apply the rules and techniques while taking care of your parrots and birds that you have learned in this How do parrots sleep article. We have discussed how parrots sleep, what their behaviors are, and what precautions you should keep in mind while petting birds.

Lights and sound affect the circadian rhythm of birds, for that, you should expose them to natural light or, if you can not, then use an artificial UV light source. Caress your birds like your child. The environment, they are as essential as human beings. 

Frequently Asked Questions By Parrot Owners