Most types of birds don't fly at night because they are diurnal which means that the diurnal birds are active during the day and sleep at night.
The diurnal birds vision is also not adapted to see good in nighttime darkness and so they would have a difficult time seeing and flying in the night.
So when darkness comes around the birds find a perch to roost on until daylight comes again.
Birds can and do sleep while flying but only in brief time periods.
The birds that do sleep while flying usually sleep with only half of their brain at one time which is known as unihemispheric slow wave sleep.
Some birds will sleep while they are circling in rising air currents and when they don't need to flap their wings although birds do not sleep while gliding down.
Most birds do sleep standing up while being perched on a branch or some other surface using their specialized tendons in their legs.
The specialized tendons in the birds legs automatically grip the perch and allow the birds to rest while they stay securely upright and it's a very common way of perching birds like robins and sparrows to rest or sleep.
Once a bird lands on a perch the birds tendons on their legs automatically tighten up and creates a strong grip which holds the birds feet in place even when the bird is asleep.
At night backyard birds will go to places such as birdhouses, cavities and tree branches to sleep at night.
Some backyard birds perch high in trees and take advantage of any residual warmth of the day and songbirds for example often sleep in tree cavities and secluded branches.
Birds will also often fluff out their down feathers for warmth.
Birds do not always sleep in the same place every night.
However birds may also return to the same roosting place over and over but they often change their sleeping locations depending on the time of year and the weather as well.
The places that birds sleep depends on the species of bird but birds sleep in places which include in or near the water for water fowl birds, on the ground, on branches or windowsills and in tree cavities or secluded branches.
Some species of birds sleep by taking many short naps instead of sleeping all at once which is called polyphasic sleep.
Some birds such as falcons and ducks sleep with one eye open to watch for predators.
And some birds go through a controlled hypothermia in cold temperatures when sleeping which is known as nocturnal torpor.
Some birds also huddle together to stay warm and protect themselves from predators and some birds sleep in bushes, rocks, grass and burrows.
Birds sleep for between 10 hours to 12 hours as birds need a minimum of 10 hours of sleep and a maximum of 12 hours of sleep.
Most birds go to sleep as soon as the sun sets and it gets dark which could be 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM or later depending on when the sunsets.
Some birds are also nocturnal and stay awake at night and sleep during day.
Examples of nocturnal birds are nighthawks and owls which are active during the night and sleep in the daytime.
All birds require a minimum of 10 hours of sleep and a maximum of 12 hours of sleep.
Most wild birds will go to sleep as soon as the sun goes down and then wake up as the sun rises.
Many wild birds have evolved to avoid activity at night to reduce their chances of being hunted by nocturnal predators.
Many birds also rely on their sight to find their food and their sight is less effective at night.
So it's not practical for birds that are active in the day to be active and vocal at night when they cannot see clearly.
Birds don't always sleep in the same place every night although birds may also return to the same roosting spot over and over.
The place at which a bird sleeps depends on the species of bird, the time of year and also the weather.
Many birds like songbirds sleep in trees and cling to tree branches.
And birds such as nuthatches, chickadees and titmice sleep in old woodpecker holes.
Some birds may also sleep in nesting boxes or birdhouses during the winter.
Birds such as waterfowl birds such as geese and swans sleep in water and swim or sit on islands and some gamebirds and shorebirds sleep on the ground.