Netizens Were Surprised to Learn That Baby Owls Sleep on Face Down

Mark Rees, a journalist, shared a photo of a baby owl sleeping face down.

According to IFL Science, adult owls can sleep sitting up because their bodies are fully developed, but baby owls have no choice but to sleep face down because their heads are simply too large.

The phenomenon was also confirmed by the National Audubon Society.

Interestingly, a young owl doesn’t fall out of the tree while it snoozes because it holds onto the branch with its back toe, the hallux. The hallux will not open or let go until the bird bends its leg.