Yes birds do sleep and some do it standing on one leg. It is an arrangement of tendons that keeps the bird from falling off its perch. There is a tendon known as the flexor tendon from the muscle in the thigh that goes down to the leg, around the ankle and then under the toes. At rest, the weight of the bird makes the bird to bend down on its knees, tightening the tendons and closing the claws. That is why they do not fall of their perches.
Not only do birds sleep they can even be hypnotized into falling asleep by bringing our eyes close to the bird's cage and slowly closing our eyes pretending to fall asleep. The bird will follow suit and fall asleep. You can also make a bird in a cage go to sleep by simply covering its cage. This is because birds rely on sight and with the exception of nocturnal birds, bedtime is when it gets dark.
It is said that we should learn how to meditate from cat. It is the only animal in the world who has learned how to completely live in the present. That is how cats are super alert. Thanks for the information about the birds.
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