Where Do Birds Sleep? (A Birding Photo Blog)

Hi Everybody!  Please come in for a small discussion. I can promise you there will be no Political Chats or Google+Cats!
Tonight we will be considering a complex question:  Where do Birds sleep? 
I know some of You are college educated Professionals who know the answers to many questions. So if you know the answer(s), please leave some comments about what You know. Some might say (logically) birds fly in the sky and sleep in the trees.  That would be partially right, but overall, an incorrect answer!

I will open the discussion with what I believe may be a correct answer. There is large variety of birds with different habitats and habits. All birds have a daily rest/sleep pattern that occurs in many different locations and at different times, but generally birds sleep close to the same area where they spend the waking period.


Tonight we are heading down to the end of Rainbow Creek to look at some birds and ponder the sleep situations. Just to remind you, Yes, I built a bird sanctuary, and Yes birds come, and Yes, I watch and feed them. This does not make me an expert on anything, especially birds. I have more questions than I have learned answers! I invite you to comment any experiences, ideas or whatever any time you want to, so all of us may learn from each other through personal stories. It may take awhile for this to happen as we are all very new in the Social Medium World. I look forward to impromptu  discussions as they may occur!

Here we are at Rainbow Creek in the Golden Hour of Sunset light.
I first thought about the big birds: The Ostrich and Emu. These birds are not local in South Texas, however, a few keep these birds on ranches, so I have seen them. They do not fly in the sky or sleep in trees. They go in the barn to sleep, is my first hand experience with the big birds. They do have the largest bird eggs. As a retired chef, I do know that one ostrich egg, scrambled, feeds 10 people.

In the sunset silhouette of the tree line, we do see a large bird on top of a Tree. It has been my observation here in Texas, that 'most' birds go to the location of the overnight roost during the sunset hour. Likewise, most leave the roost during the sunrise hour-everyday. They do not deviate from the pattern of their group.

Good Evening!  I see that you are a Great White Egret on Top of a tree at Sunset.


http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Egret/lifehistory/ac

Birds spend most of their time looking around for anything coming to get them for dinner.  For this reason, birds do not experience a 'deep sleep' like humans. Rather they have shorter resting periods to allow for immediate flight upon fright. These birds select treetops as most of their predators can not reach them.

Trees also provide a great lookout point over the water. Birds have very good eyesight and can detect slightest movement.

In addition to natural predators, some birds are hunted by humans.
Most humans that hunt birds, do so for food and take only what is necessary. Some humans shoot birds for fun or sport or because they move or fill in the blank:  whatever the reason, is wrong. It is not fun to kill birds and that should be taught to every human as a child.
The Great White Heron was hunted to near extinction by humans. They wanted the feathers for Hats.  (see link below for more info) 
 http://trueportraits.blogspot.com/2011/04/great-white-egrets-in-everglades.html

We see that our bird has chosen this treetop for his overnight roost. We see he does not land and go to sleep. He lands and looks around in all directions!

The water birds especially, seem to watch the others come in for the night and the sunset.
I could find no information as to whether birds dream. They do not eat in the trees (that I have ever seen) The eat during the day. (Exceptions of course, like the owls, who eat at night and sleep during the day)!

Here our bird stretches tall.  I found that perch birds have feet that grip the branch tightly.  When they bend the knee as they squat down on perch, the tendons pull tight on the talons to 'lock' the feet in place. This keeps the bird from falling off the perch during sleep! They need to stand up tall in the morning to 'unlock' the grip to fly.

Sunset!  Here they come!

These cattle egrets perch roost in treetops also. They crowd each other, but I have never witnessed one wreck!

The water birds gather in great colonies. Many fly in together from where ever they were during the day.

Some birds travel alone, but meet here at sunset like this wood stork

Here is a lone roseate spoonbill

A Great White Egret

This Wood Stork also stays on treetop roost!

 Hundreds of Birds in treetops here! (Circled is the Wood Stork)

These assorted Herons and Egrets meet in the water before flying up to the treetops.

This is their "Social Media Hangout"!!  Happy Hour!!

Hello from Rainbow Creek!

Some Birds, like Woodpeckers, sleep in cavities in Trees

This Downey Woodpecker shapes the hole to the perfect size!

Hello Everybody from Woody at Kates Cabin Bird Sanctuary in Texas!!

My Texas Buzzards  meet in a tree at sunset for a Social Media Hangout!! At dark, they fly up to the Tall Pine Trees on Rainbow Creek to Roost.

At Sunrise, they fly from the Pines back to the Meeting Tree.

When the sun rises to a certain height, they spread their wings to warm up!

At Sunset, the Buzzards return to the meeting tree. Hello Everybody!!

Thank You so much for coming by tonight! The discussion is officially open on the Question:  Where Do Birds Sleep?  Tonight we have looked at some Birds that roost in trees. Please join the discussion by putting any thoughts, comments or ideas you may want to share about sleeping birds!!

Bonus Video!!!!  Another great vid (no, not one of mine!)


This is again from our friend Yoshio, in Japan!
As I can only imagine a winter wonderland, this video is what I would imagine. The last kiss of winter 2012.  Enjoy!

.......this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek. 
Happy Birding!






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