OMG what on earth... very interesting!

[Tropical]

Check out this vid I found on youtube: [ame="https://youtu.be/iNOKW8NkAVM"]Sleeping Torpor Hummingbird in Bellevue Tennessee - YouTube[/ame]

As it turns out this is very common and some people who find them this way bury them alive not knowing they are NOT dead... who knew! LOL

 

[Tami2]

WOW! I've been feeding and attracting hummingbirds for years. I have never seen this. Bury them, what? It's obvious it's still breathing. Great footage thx for sharing.

 

[Scott]

Bizarre! Looks like an uncomfortable position, but obviously not. Curious sleeping with the delicate belly facing upwards!

 

[Owlet]

apparently budgies sometimes sleep like this too?

 

[Katu]

Interesting. I would have assumed it is sick. I've never seen a hummingbird not moving, especially out in the open. I wonder if there is a cause for this, as it makes it very vulnerable.

 

[Owlet]

well from what I can find when they do that they're in a topor state which slows their metabolism a ton so they can sleep. I can't really find anything on WHY upside down though. I found that with budgies it's a safety precaution that is meant to protect them from ground predators?