News and research highlights from the research group "Avian Sleep"

A white and grey pigeon carefully held in the hands of a person.

Birds show remarkably similar sleep patterns to humans and may experience flight in their dreams more

Bird pupils behave unexpectedly different

Pupil size changes in awake and sleeping birds in opposite ways to mammals more

A deeper look inside the sleeping bird brain

Similarities and differences between avian and mammalian sleep and possibly memory consolidation more

Snoozing between the skies and Earth

A team of scientists headed by Niels Rattenborg from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen has demonstrated, for the first time that birds can fly in sleep mode more

First evidence of sleep in flight

Birds engage in all types of sleep in flight, but in remarkably small amounts more

Plumes in the sleeping avian brain

Brain activity during slow-wave-sleep differs between mammals and birds more

Baby owls sleep like baby humans

Owlets spend more time in REM sleep than adult owls more

You snooze, you lose

You snooze, you lose

August 09, 2012

Less sleep leads to more offspring in male pectoral sandpipers more

Ostriches sleep like platypuses

Sleep studies in ostriches uncover the evolution of REM sleep more

Deep sleep in birds

Deep sleep in birds

January 12, 2011

Brain regions sleep more deeply when used more - also in birds more

Not living up to their name

Sloths in the wild sleep a lot less than previously thought more

"Power napping" in pigeons

Pigeons prevented from taking naps in the afternoon sleep more intensely at night more

Go to Editor View