Do birds normally sleep with their eyes open?

Question

Last night I turned on the porch light and there was a bird sitting there on a branch in front of me over the front path that didn't move when I stepped out the door. I got a little closer and the bird didn't move. I waved my hand a few inches from the bird's face and the bird and said hello but it didn't twitch a muscle. I couldn't even tell if it was breathing for sure. I turned off the porch light and came back several minutes later and it was still there. I wondered if it was dead or comatose or what. This morning it's gone.

Is that odd? Or is that a normal sleeping bird in a slightly unusual place? I think it might've been a mockingbird.

Answer 1

Chickens will sleep with thier eyes closed

Answer 2

Diurnal birds (birds active during the day) have very bad night vision. It was probably a very young and very frightened bird. You woke it when you went out so it's eyes opened but it was too scared to fly in the dark.

Answer 3

No, birds do NOT sleep with their eyes open.  I don't know why your bird did that.  Maybe it was an exception to the rule.  Sleeping with the eyes open can even happen with people, so it's not unheard of.  The bird could have been sick, not to react to you or the porch light, but  you'll never know.

Answer 4

no birds don't sleep with their eyes open. since their eyes are set in either side of their head, they can only see u if they tilt their head sideways . maybe the bird was facing right at you in a straight angle so it could not see you.

Answer 5

No, birds do not sleep with their eyes open.  They have eyelids and they use them just like we do.

The poor little bird was probably dead and taken away by a cat (or something similar).

Answer 6

no, i think some of them do but i havent seen any sleeping with eyes opened