If a barred acts like it is sleeping, sometimes the birds leave it alone. Sometimes if I stand there and watch it for a while they leave it alone.

I guess the birds figure the owl will not try to hunt them while I am there. I have yet to see an owl catch a bird. I usually see them get chipmunks etc. Either the owl is either catching a very short nap or is pretending to sleep. I don’t know if you would call this a cat nap. Would you?