# Pigeon Sleep



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I was asked on another group how much sleep pigeons need at night, and I do not know the answer. 

How much they could get may depend on day length, and (I assume?) the quality of sleep would depend on whether there is true darkness or some degree of light, but the question was how much they actually need (to be able to function properly).

On a related theme: I read somewhere that pigeon sleep patterns are not too different to humans. When I have pigeons inside, even though it isn't 100% pitch black they appear to sleep from soon after lights out until daylight begins to filter through. Sometimes, though, a pigeon will utter a few quiet coos at some strange hour and then all is quiet until morning. I wonder if that corresponds to someone talking in their sleep whilst dreaming. 

John


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Would be interesting to know how much sleep they actually need. Many of my guys do take naps during the day.

Reti


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Far as I can tell, they do not sleep much, but rather, just doze off into short naps off and on during the night.

Possibly three hours a night or four, would be about it as my guess, or less if there is anything to be interested in.


When it is dark, and they can not fly or see to goof around with eachother, there is not much else to do...but day-dream, doze a little now and then, preen, day-dream...


If they are very young, they sleep more...


Just because they appear still and quiet in the dark, does not mean they are sleeping...it just means they are being quiet or still...


Probably, most Birds sleep very little...


Phil
l v


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

When I had Julius, he'd get up around 2 or 3 in the morning and start to coo. I'm like, _'What the heck?'_ Did it practically every night once he got used to me. Don't know what caused him to do that.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I hear both Phil AND Garye! Interesting question...

Since my birds sleep in my bedroom, there are times I wake during the night and hear them either moving around, cooing (*esp.* Dom! That bird is a cooing machine!) or making small sounds!

Sometimes, Squeaks will beak his bell too.

Squeaks, especially, knows MORNING! When light begins to show around *5 AM*, he will start STOMPING to get OUT of prison! Of course, the cats don't help either, as they want to BE FED!

And wonder of wonders, _usually_ Dom and Gimie are quiet for about another hour! 

Personally, I would think a lot would depend on the bird: if with others, in what type of living situation: inside or outside, if alone, living with other animals. Different sleeps for different birds??

Shi


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

I would be curious to find out haw much sleep do they need.

I once slept for 3 nights with Piggi in my room. I had to go some ware and I took him with me lol. I don’t think he sleeps very much. At night time I notice him drinking water, pecking at his seeds for ages, grooming and shaking his feathers, cooing softly and moving around in pitch darkness. He seemed to be doing all with great accuracy around an hour and a half time distance during the whole night. The moment the daylight started to appear he cooed continuously, that was really early. What a freak! LOL


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## Noisy_minor (Jun 20, 2008)

Come to think about it, i dont ever recall seeing my cockateil asleep. Im usually up untill 2, or 3 in the morning, and every time i look over at him, hes usually doing something, or his eyes are open. our house is pretty dark at night, its just the infared lights that light everything up from the snake tanks, but it is not ment to bother animals. hmmm youve got me interested now. ill be peeking over at all house of the night to see if hes asleep.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I also forgot to mention that Squeaks is a "night owl." If I'm up, he wants to be OUT and UP! If I put him home and he knows I'm up, he will stomp and carry on until I let him out! 

ONLY when it's lights out, will he be content to be quiet! Like I've said, spoiled bird!

Shi
definitely going to the birds!


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## mountainstorm (May 3, 2006)

*speaking of sleep*

Cielo and Miri and Honeydew all sat/sit down to rest, folding their legs underneath them. Coalie draws one leg up like I've seen ducks do, and he sways there for fifteen minutes before switching legs or sitting.

Do other pigeons sleep on one leg?

Rach


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

mountainstorm said:


> Cielo and Miri and Honeydew all sat/sit down to rest, folding their legs underneath them. Coalie draws one leg up like I've seen ducks do, and he sways there for fifteen minutes before switching legs or sitting.
> 
> Do other pigeons sleep on one leg?
> 
> Rach


Yes, it's perfectly normal. I've even had people report a pigeon and they said it only had one leg OR something is wrong with it because it stands on one leg. Of course, neither of those were true. Just a pigeon thing.


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

Personally, I think the dark just makes them quite, by like an instinct. Mine are normally awake, but quiet. Unless, they know someone is up, then it is "Who can coo the loudest!". lol!

Most of my pet pigeons sleep on their blankets. They normally sleep chicken or duck style ....That's what I call it.
If they sleep Chicken style they tuck a wing under them. Duck is just down, with legs under them.

I agree, I think it is only a few hours that they really truely sleep.

-Hilly


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

John_D said:


> Sometimes, though, a pigeon will utter a few quiet coos at some strange hour and then all is quiet until morning. I wonder if that corresponds to someone talking in their sleep whilst dreaming.
> 
> John


Thinkin' 'bout whatcha' said, John... meks me feel lika' burstin' inta' an' ol' Country & Western song:

"You've been coo'in in yo-er sleeeeep!"

Pidgey


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Pidgey said:


> Thinkin' 'bout whatcha' said, John... meks me feel lika' burstin' inta' an' ol' Country & Western song:
> 
> "You've been coo'in in yo-er sleeeeep!"
> 
> Pidgey


Only you, Pidgey, would come up with that goodie! 

I'm sure YOU don't COO in your sleep! 

'Course, maybe my pijies coo because I snore?

Would be interesting to have a night tape recorder: snore....coooooo....snore, snort...cooooooCOO...squeaks beaks bell! Some peaceful sleep!!    

Shi


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## velo99 (Apr 8, 2007)

Actually standing on one leg while resting is a sign of a healthy pigeon.If they assume the position and dont stand on one leg after a while,they might be sick.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Pidgey said:


> Thinkin' 'bout whatcha' said, John... meks me feel lika' burstin' inta' an' ol' Country & Western song:
> 
> "You've been coo'in in yo-er sleeeeep!"
> 
> Pidgey


Gee, Pidgey, I could almost hear your dulcet tones as you warbled away there 

John


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

velo99 said:


> Actually standing on one leg while resting is a sign of a healthy pigeon.If they assume the position and dont stand on one leg after a while,they might be sick.


Absolutely. I always feel a little relieved when I see a rescue bird on one leg. I have a little refugee from my balcony here now, and was happy to see her doing the stork thing on her heat pad today 

John


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

John_D said:


> Gee, Pidgey, I could almost hear your dulcet tones as you warbled away there
> 
> John


"Dulcet tones"... Oh, John--heretofore I've been convinced that you've been telling the truth your entire life and I don't see any reason to depart from that philosophy at this point.

Pidgey


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## David Ey (Dec 31, 2007)

I like to let my birds play on the lawn with the water sprinkler on low and watch them play in the water. Sometimes after their bath they will just lounge around and lay on their side kinda propped up on one wing. Really funny looking.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

David Ey said:


> I like to let my birds play on the lawn with the water sprinkler on low and watch them play in the water. Sometimes after their bath they will just lounge around and lay on their side kinda propped up on one wing. Really funny looking.


Indeed they do look kind of odd at first, David. It's like when I first saw a European Blackbird lying on a country path with both wings extended looking very dead - until it saw me, and probably cursed me for interrupting its sunbathing 

John


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Since my birds live outside in a coop, I don't have much specific information about their sleeping patterns. On several occasions, when I went into the coop late at night, Walter was laying down chicken style, sound asleep. He didn't wake up for several seconds after I opened the door. Don't know if his sound sleeping is because he's a older bird or because he feels secure in the coop.


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## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

With my 6 Racing homers, I have never, ever, been able to sneak up on them,Day,or night.
I have tried, quite a few times, over the years, unsucessfully.
No, I'm not a heavy, loud, clumsey, overbearing shrek type troll of a human, on the contrary, just the opposite.
You cannot sneak up on a healthy pigeon, day, or night, without them knowing that you are there.
Now, it's up to the pigeons, if they trust you, (day or night) as to how close that they will let you get. Sometimes they think that you won't see them, but they still know that you are there, they just don't know if it's better to flee, or stand still,(nightime).
Pigeons are very, very wary. Try it sometime, somewhere, with pigeons that don't know you.
I'll bet, if they have an out, you won't be able to get withen 5' of em! 
As far as when they sleep, that's easy, they sleep when we are not around! ( outside pigeons)
Inside pets, have no choice.


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## Cassiopeia (Oct 9, 2007)

I can never tell when my pijjies are asleep. Sometimes they nap during the day, but whenever I go outside at night to check on them, they coo angrily at me for interrupting. Actually, you know, they coo all night anyway, whether or not I'm around. Their loft is right out my window, so I get treated to the full chorus!


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## malfunctional (Jan 27, 2009)

Yesterday I was coming out of a club and I noticed two pigeon sleeping on a tiny ledge above the door. It was a really vibrant area, lots of noise to all hours of the night on most nights, lots of people coming in and out, lights flashing etc. If these pigeons can sleep in that type of area they can sleep anywhere. I wonder what made them decide on there. I think they is lots of food available because they looked pretty well fed.


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