The sky nappers: Meet the birds that sleep in the sky during epic flights

Ten Birds That Sleep While Flying (Image: Canva)

Long flights often feel tiring for many travellers, yet nature shows a very different story. Several birds stay airborne for weeks or even months, resting in mid-air during long migrations. Their secret lies in unusual sleep skills that let them glide through huge journeys with steady focus. Scientists continue to study these birds closely, as their habits reveal rare behaviours hidden across the skies.

• Frigatebird Sleep in Flight Frigatebirds stay airborne for months above oceans, using clever sleep patterns during slow soaring. They rest one brain half at a time while remaining alert.

(Image: Canva)

• Albatross Sleep While Soaring Albatrosses travel across stormy seas for long stretches, resting during steady glides. They use unihemispheric sleep to keep balance and direction while moving.

(Image: Canva)

• Arctic Tern Mid-Air Naps Arctic Terns migrate between polar regions each year, taking quick naps during long flights. These small rests help them conserve strength across vast distances.

(Image: Canva)

• Bar-Tailed Godwit In-Flight Rest Bar-Tailed Godwits complete epic nonstop migrations between continents, taking tiny naps during travel. These brief resting moments help them survive extreme journeys.

(Image: Canva)

• Great Snipe Airborne Naps Great Snipes fly thousands of miles without stopping, resting briefly in mid-air. Their small naps support fast flight across harsh routes.

(Image: Canva)

• Alpine Swift Long Flight Sleep Alpine Swifts can stay airborne for long periods, sometimes reaching 200 days. They sleep during smooth glides while continuing their seasonal travel.

(Image: Canva)

• Common Swift Sleep While Gliding Common Swifts spend nearly ten months flying each year, resting as they glide. Their unusual sleep habits allow them to avoid landing for long periods.

(Image: Canva)

• Barn Swallow Brief Air Naps Barn Swallows take short naps during calm glides, usually while migrating. These small breaks keep them steady during long seasonal journeys.

(Image: Canva)

• Sandpiper Flight Resting Pattern Sandpipers rest in tiny bursts while flying across wetlands and coasts. Their brief pauses help them handle long and shifting routes.

(Image: Canva)

• Geese Sleep at High Altitudes Geese sometimes rest during high-altitude flights, staying partly awake. This approach keeps them organised during long migratory formations.

(Image: Canva)

Scientists say these birds rely on unusual sleep patterns to survive long journeys. Their habits include micro-naps and unihemispheric sleep, helping them stay alert in flight. Studies of these species continue to reveal hidden airborne skills that support remarkable migrations across continents.