Why don't birds fly at night?

Question

Besides Owls.

Answer 1

Uh, it's dark.

Answer 2

They cant see in the dark!!!!! The same reason you don't drive in the dark with out your headlights on... because you cant see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

'cuz they can't see in the dark.

Answer 4

why dont people walk down unlit alley ways at night

1) They may be asleep

2) Dont know whats in the dark-could be predators

3) Cant see in the dark

Answer 5

Actually many birds do fly at night.  All migratory waterfowl are night fliers.  Hummingbirds migrate at night.  Besides owls, there are nightjars, nighthawks, whip-poor-wills and night herons.  Many birds learn to fly in the dark before going on their migration.

http://wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/moon....

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/article...

Most the birds we see would have great difficulty finding food and avoiding predators at night.

Answer 6

Most bird sleep at night.  However during migration..some birds will fly by night as it is cooler and leaves less chance for dehydration.

Answer 7

Who's to say they don't? You couldn't see them at night anyway! DOH!

Answer 8

Oh I asked my dad that when I was 7, he says they sleep during 6 PM - 6 AM

Answer 9

Because they can't see in the dark, and they need time to rest so they can fly in the morning.

Answer 10

They're sleeping.

Answer 11

I have been camping and seen birds flying past in the night when there was moonlight. Sort of surprised me I admit. The ones I saw were green herons and some ducks I beleive. They do migrate at night. How else could tiny hummingbirds and such cross the gulf of Mexico?

Answer 12

Many birds fly at night, not just owls.  Nightjars, whippoorwills, and similar birds hunt flying insects at night, using their huge eyes and sensitive whiskers around their beaks to catch their prey in midair.  Tropical oilbirds have a lifestyle similar to bats, roosing in caves and burrows during the day and flying out at night to eat fruit and insects - they even use sonar-like clicks and whistles to navigate in the dark.  Many pelagic (open ocean-dwelling) sea birds fly at night as well, since there is nowhere for them to roost in the open ocean.