Squirrels can make a whole lotta nests in a year, and its really common to see them come back and reuse an old nesting location. If the squirrel thinks the nest is still good, they may reuse an old nest more than once.
If not, they may make a new one in the same tree or area, or they may use a abandoned nest that meets there needs.
Why Do Squirrels Come Back to the Same Place Annually?
Squirrels are habitual animals. They generally won’t scavenge more than 1 mile from home, unless their home is devoid of food, water, or safety.
Generally speaking, most squirrels do not stray more than 5 miles from where they were born and so that allows you to see squirrels their entire lives.
If the squirrels nest (or drey) is structurally solid, free of unwanted guests, and protects the squirrel from predators, the squirrels should return to that drey every year. It is a bit like “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it…”
Squirrels will have 2 litters of babies in the middle of the summer and early spring. The babies in the drey, cannot leave home and fend for themselves until they are fully furred and begin to wander. So to keep the babies safe, the mother must keep the babies secured in the norway nest.
Like most mammals, squirrels are safety minded, and safety minded they are for themselves as well as their own babies.
If they have found or built, a good enough nest, and the actual nesting area represents safety, they will return that nesting area each year until that is no longer good enough for safety.
Dreys are typically built in June and July, by female and male squirrels. And for those babies who were born in the spring, the same time memorializes their mother’s nesting style.
Squirrels can use up to 15 nests at any given time, because they move their babies for the very reason that they are only in a nest for maybe 2–3 weeks.
Where Do Squirrels Nest?
Most dreys are located in treetops that are at least 20 feet off the ground but a squirrel can live in a tree hollow, which is a more desirable location than a drey: but are harder to find.
The reason squirrels like to build their nests so high is to keep their young away from ground predators that include weasels, badgers, coyotes and foxes. They also prefer oak-hickory forests, hardwood, nut trees that provide stable nesting trees and nuts for food.
Squirrels are adaptable, existing in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
A ground squirrel does live in burrows and a series of tunnels.
Most tree squirrels are solitary, with the exception of mothers with their young. A female squirrel can have 1-7 squirrels in one litter. They may huddle together period in groups in the winter months, using body warmth by temporarily sharing one nest if the cold is severe.
Types of Squirrel Nests
Ground squirrels reside in burrows, so they do not build nests like tree squirrels do. Tree squirrel nests come in two forms: leaf nests and tree (cavity) dens.
Squirrel Leaf Nests
Leaf nests, or Dreys, are the types of squirrel homes you’re most likely to see – especially in the fall when deciduous trees shed their leaves. Dreys are hollow spheres around a foot or larger in overall diameter.
Although they look messy from a distance, leaf nests are actually highly complex structures made from sticks, leaves, branches, moss, grass, shredded bark, and/or pine needles.
They have an entrance that usually faces away from the wind and toward the trunk or branch. Some dreys even have a second exit as an emergency egress.
Dreys vary among the types of squirrels and depending on the environment in which they are used.
The average nest is utilized for a couple of years and then abandoned, although some dreys have been observed for 10 years of use!
Dreys can be abandoned following the discovery of a nest by predators or lice or fleas overtaking a nest. This can be one reason a squirrel will have and use more than one drey in the same year.
Squirrel Tree Dens
Squirrels that find a tree cavity, and occupy one, have hit the jackpot! Their young will have a 40% higher chance of survival (compared to squirrels born in leaf nests).
Because tree dens typically have small entrances (making it impossible for large predators) it is the safest possible shelter for squirrels anywhere in the world.
Squirrels may, and usually will, construct a small nest in the cavity made out of twigs and leaves–it will likely be smaller than the leaf nest counterpart.
Squirrel tree dens are hardly ever abandoned and, if they do, it will be occupied by another creature looking to find solid shelter in no time!
Other Nesting Areas
Squirrels are crafty animals, and sometimes they make nests in places that don’t make sense. If you’re looking to remove an unwanted squirrel nest, find out how to below.
How Do I Get Rid of a Squirrel’s Nest?
If you got a squirrel’s nest that is taking over your property, you can get rid of it by doing it yourself or getting a tree service or pest control service to remove it.
If they are not bothering you or your garden, you should consider leaving the nests alone, most squirrels are harmless and play an important role in the ecosystem.
If you have to get rid of a nest, do so only if the nest has been abandoned with no live young in it. Believe it or not most young leave the nest by 10 weeks of age.
Sometimes, the mother will stay in the nest for a time after the young leave. If this happens, you should start removing the nest on a mid-morning on a sunny day, this is when the mother will be out feeding.
Removing a Squirrel’s Nest on Your Own
Honestly, squirrels typically return in the same area to renest so if you trap the squirrel and then release it far enough away, say more than 5 miles or so, that is as close as you will ever get to ensuring that squirrel does not come back to rebuild on your property.
If the squirrel has built a nest in your attic you can just wait until the nest is no longer being used, usually around mid-summer you will be safe to take the nest out and block any small holes used for entry as the summer heat generally drives them out of attics until fall.
Removing a nest that is high up in a tree is a very dangerous thing to do and should only be attempted with assistance or by a professional.
Removing a Squirrel’s Nest Professionally
Most pest control companies will take squirrels and their nests away in a humane fashion. If you seal the small holes in your attic or shed, pest control will probably be your best option.
If you want the nests removed from somewhere high up in the trees, call a local tree service company.
Squirrel Facts
Here are some interesting facts about squirrels.
- Most squirrels live from 3 to 4 years.
- Squirrels have front teeth that grow throughout their life and need to gnaw on things to wear them down.
- Squirrels are born blind and deaf.
- Squirrels bury food for winter later.
- Squirrels can find food they’ve buried under a foot of snow.
- Squirrels can fall to survive a jump of up to 20 feet.
- Squirrels are omnivores.
Final Thoughts on Squirrels Coming Back to the Same Place Annually
Squirrels are surprisingly predictable animals just like people. They stay in the same geographic location their entire lives and reuse their old nests.
A squirrel’s nest is protection from the weather and predators. Without a nest, baby squirrels that are born blind and deaf would not be able to survive to adulthood.
Squirrels can nest in tree nests, tree dens, or burrows, but sometimes they end up in our attics or sheds as well. You can remove a squirrel nest yourself or by utilizing a company that is a professional removal company when there are no babies in the nest.