It's nap time for birds, too

Q I've read that humans in cold climates tend to sleep more in the winter. Do birds do the same?

A Yes, our resident birds do sleep longer in the winter.

Birds use less energy when they're asleep than when they're awake and, in winter, birds need to conserve energy to survive the cold. That's why you often see birds feeding heavily at the end of the day. They're stoking their furnaces, so to speak, to carry them through the night. So, if you feed birds, make sure your feeders are full in late afternoon.

Even though they may spend more time sleeping, birds don't sleep solidly all night long. They wake occasionally to check for predators.

Outwitting woodpeckers Q There's a woodpecker (I think it is a downy) punching 2-inch holes in the side of my garage. The siding is masonite with buffalo board underneath. I tried to scare him away with a plastic owl, then by hanging a CD on a string. Neither slowed him down. What can I do to stop the damage?

A Woodpeckers drill into buildings and trees to hunt for hibernating insects and larvae and to create roosting and nesting holes. Since your woodpecker is drilling a larger hole, it apparently has decided that your garage would make a great spot for roosting on winter nights.

If you've had no luck with the owl and CD tricks, try tacking up a piece of woodpecker-proof material (such as 1/4-inch hardware cloth, netting or plastic) over the area where the bird has been drilling. That may cause your woodpecker to give up on your garage and try a tree instead.

Dealing with woodpeckers can be a big challenge. These are determined birds with strong beaks. But, as you're probably aware, these birds are protected by state and federal laws and may not be harmed in any way.

For more ideas on how to outwit woodpeckers, go to: www.birds.cornell.edu/wp_about/.