18d • General discussion
Answer time 🐦
Swifts really can sleep while flying and are the only fully documented case.
They use something called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, which means one half of their brain rests while the other half stays alert. That allows them to keep flying and remain aware of their surroundings at the same time.
Here’s the part that still blows my mind:
- Common swifts can stay airborne for up to 10 months without landing
- They eat, drink, and even mate while in flight
Now for a little nuance, because bird science is fascinating and still unfolding:
Although Swifts are the only birds fully documented to sleep for extended periods while continuously flying, some other birds appear to do short versions of this:
- Albatrosses may take brief “catnaps” while gliding over the ocean
- Falcons are believed to do something similar during long flights, but this hasn’t been scientifically confirmed yet.
And birds like eagles sleep while perched, not in flight.
Nature is incredible.
And clearly, the sky is home. 💚
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Answer time 🐦
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