Hummingbirds are known for their incredible speed and seeming tirelessness as they zoom around from flower to flower. Their tiny wings beat up to 80 times per second, allowing them to hover in place and change direction with startling quickness. This has led many people to wonder – do hummingbirds ever stop moving and take a rest?
Do hummingbirds sleep?
Yes, hummingbirds do sleep! They go into a sort of hibernation state called torpor. During torpor, a hummingbird’s metabolic rate slows down dramatically and its breathing and heart rate decreases. This allows a hummingbird to conserve huge amounts of energy. Torpor is different from true sleep, as they don’t show the same brain wave patterns. But it does allow a hummingbird to rest its body.
Torpor can last for hours each night. Depending on the species, hummingbirds may enter torpor many times a day, whenever food is scarce or as an energy saving measure at night. During torpor, they are vulnerable to predators, so they will usually wiggle into thick vegetation or a cavity for safety. Their grip on a perch is so tight that even sleeping they will not fall off.
How long do hummingbirds sleep or rest each day?
On average, wild hummingbirds spend around 12-14 hours a day resting or in torpor. Their sleep is split into periods ranging from a few minutes to over an hour. The periods of torpor during the day may allow them to conserve energy between feeding sessions. At night they experience a longer torpor that can last 6-8 hours.
Younger hummingbirds tend to sleep more than adults, needing the additional rest as they grow and develop. And during migration, a hummingbird may spend more time resting to conserve energy for the long flight.
When and where do hummingbirds sleep?
Hummingbirds go into torpor and sleep in a few different circumstances:
- Overnight – They will find a protected perch and go into a long overnight torpor.
- During the day – Short periods of torpor can help conserve energy between feedings.
- During migration – Long periods of torpor give them the energy needed to fly.
- In bad weather – Torpor conserves energy when nectar sources are scarce.
Hummingbirds don’t actually construct nests for sleeping. At night they will find a thick tree branch or shrub. Their feet can grip tightly so they are in no danger of falling off during torpor. Sheltering in vegetation also helps keep them concealed from predators.
Do hummingbirds ever stop flying and perch?
Yes, hummingbirds do occasionally stop flying and come to rest on perches. They may do this:
- To digest – After drinking nectar at a feeder, they’ll sometimes perch for 20-30 minutes to allow their food to digest before eating more.
- To rest between feedings – Short periods of torpor mid-day let them conserve energy.
- To preen their feathers -landing on a perch allows them to straighten ruffled feathers.
- To wait out bad weather – Perching lets them conserve energy when flowers are rain soaked.
Even when perching, they are rarely still for long. Their metabolism requires food every 10-20 minutes, so perching periods are interspersed with active feeding.
How do hummingbirds look when they are sleeping or resting?
When hummingbirds are in torpor, they look like they are sleeping. Here are the signs that a hummingbird is resting or asleep:
- Eyes closed
- Head tucked into shoulders
- Wings folded together
- Tail feathers drooped down
- Breathing slowed and barely perceptible
- No movement at all
Their extremely slowed breathing and heart rate make them appear almost motionless. It can be difficult to tell if they are asleep or dead. Gently touching a feather is a good way to check for signs of life. If the hummingbird is in a nightly torpor, it may take a few minutes for them to “wake up” and become active again.
| Hummingbird State | Appearance | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Awake | Eyes open Wings whirring Very active |
Feeding at flowers Flying quickly from perch to perch |
| Torpor | Eyes closed Still and motionless |
Sleeping on a perch Can last hours |
Do hummingbirds get enough rest?
Their small size and high metabolisms mean hummingbirds are finely tuned machines when it comes to rest and energy use. Here are some facts about their rest habits:
- They never get more than a few minutes of continuous rest.
- Frequent short torpor periods provide adequate rest during the day.
- By lowering their metabolic rate at night they get the longer rest they need.
- Migration provides a chance for more extended rest periods to regain energy.
- Some species employ even longer periods of hibernation when food is scarce.
While they may not sleep hours on end like we do, hummingbirds have adapted the ability to rest adequately as they need it. Their use of torpor and other restful states appears to provide the rejuvenation they require to meet their high-energy lifestyles.
Do hummingbirds get enough sleep? Signs they need more rest
In most cases, hummingbirds naturally balance their need for rest and their feeding requirements. But there are a few signs that a hummingbird may not be getting adequate sleep:
- Changing sleep locations frequently – This may indicate they aren’t feeling safe enough to settle in.
- Sleeping on the ground or in exposed areas – Seeking too much cover could mean they are exhausted.
- Long periods without waking up – Not rousing from torpor to eat regularly can be unhealthy.
- Lethargy and loss of alertness – Lack of sleep impacts their energy and precision in flight.
- Decline in grooming habits – Keeping feathers orderly takes energy, so declining grooming may indicate fatigue.
Ensuring hummingbirds have safe places to perch and adequate food sources nearby helps encourage healthy rest. In some cases, a rehabilitator can help a hummingbird recover if an underlying issue like illness is causing excessive fatigue.
Do hummingbird babies sleep a lot?
Yes, baby hummingbirds tend to sleep more than adults as they are growing and developing quickly after hatching. Here are some facts about hummingbird babies and sleep:
- They may sleep up to 18-22 hours per day in the first weeks after hatching.
- As they mature, sleep declines to around 12-14 hours like adult hummingbirds.
- Mothers may feed babies while sleeping, rousing them to eat every 30-45 minutes.
- Young hummingbirds sleep on nest sides, edges, or perches as they grow.
- By 2-3 weeks, young hummingbirds start leaving the nest to practice flying and feeding.
The large amount of sleep in the beginning helps baby hummingbird’s bodies grow rapidly to adult size in just 2-6 weeks for most species. Their sleep needs decline as they become more active and start expanding their territory.
Conclusion
While hummingbirds always appear to be darting quickly from flower to flower, they do in fact get adequate amounts of rest and sleep. Through energy saving mechanisms like torpor, hummingbirds are able to slow their systems down for hours at a time to recharge. Short rest periods punctuate their active feeding during daytime hours. And protected nighttime perches allow a longer overnight torpor that provides the bulk of their needed sleep. Baby hummingbirds in particular spend more time asleep as youngsters to facilitate their speedy growth and development. So while they hardly ever stop moving in the day, hummingbirds do make time for the rest their bodies require. Their specialized adaptations allow them to balance tireless activity with just the right amounts of rest.
