Adorable Photos Show How Baby Owls Sleep on Their Stomachs

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#TuesdayThoughts: baby owls sleep like baby humans; a few hours at a time mostly during the day. Baby owls also show high levels of REM activity during sleep.

As they get older owls seem to dream less… pic.twitter.com/D0AZNZdCNI

— Pulp Librarian (@PulpLibrarian) March 10, 2020

If you couldn’t imagine baby owls getting any cuter, it turns out that they can. Consider for a second—have you ever thought about how the creatures take a nap? We know that adult owls sleep upright, but the owlets can’t do that yet as their heads are too heavy. So until they get large enough to nap sitting up, the tiny birds have an alternate solution; they lie down on their stomachs and turn their heads to the side before drifting to dreamland.

Miraculously, the young owls do this all while resting on a tree branch. And they don’t fall off, thanks in part to the strength of their back toe called the hallux. The hallux tethers the creature to the branch and it won’t move until the owlet bends its leg.

Journalist Mark Rees recently made his own discovery of how baby owls sleep. In a now-viral tweet, he shared a picture of an owlet who is napping like we’d imagine a human would—on its stomach and totally conked out. To see more of this adorable sight, scroll down.

Baby owls (owlets) sleep on their stomachs laying face down, and it’s adorable.

I’ve just discovered that baby owls sleep face down like THIS because their heads are too heavy. Also, I don’t think I’ve seen owl legs before…. pic.twitter.com/dfKii2JtS8

— Mark Rees (@reviewwales) June 21, 2020

お客様につぶれまんじゅうって呟かれていたボルトのあひる寝#原宿 #ふくろうの城 #フクロウカフェ pic.twitter.com/c3YBK0sNxq

— ふくろう (@fs_harajuku) October 18, 2015

本日、12:28に松永は永眠いたしました。生前、可愛がって頂いた皆様、応援していただいた皆様には多大なる感謝を申し上げます。そして、至らぬ飼い主であることを申し訳なく思います。
松永の冥福を祈って頂けたら幸いです。

おやすみ、松。ありがとね#フクロウ pic.twitter.com/p8H3qraNUr

— こてパパ (@6qx7OUMoWHSZ1Sd) June 16, 2020

かくれんぼ中？(๑•∀•๑)#フクロウ #サバクコノハズク #一体化 pic.twitter.com/Urr82Cc6DR

— ⓚⓞⓝⓞ (@RukiOwl) June 22, 2020

Teenage owl sleep habits are way outside my lane, but I found (less hilarious) confirming accounts.

Kathy C of Dusty Lane encountered this face-planted napping friend: https://t.co/dqVgFQdUq7 pic.twitter.com/y22awph0Xf

— Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) June 3, 2019

#アフリカオオコノハズク雛ちゃん
溶けていきます…😳

眠いとどこでもアヒル寝しちゃう子です！
わたわたのべた慣れちゃんは早い者勝ち✨#フクロウ #雛 #べた慣れ #かわいい #お迎え募集中 #最高のパートナー pic.twitter.com/y8LT2dGlr9

— 鳥のいるカフェ谷中本店 (@toricaferoppong) June 19, 2020