The nest in some Virginia treetops might belong to a squirrel and not a bird

A squirrel drey in th.e treetopsPhoto byWikipedia

Squirrel dreys may be in the trees

When you see what appears to be a bird nest in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky this fall, you should take a second look. 97x says the clump of leaves in a tall tree might be a squirrel nest.

Known as a drey, this nest in the tree tops can house Eastern gray squirrels, flying squirrels, tree squirrels, or ringtail possums. The squirrels enter through a hole in the tree trunk.

There are differences between a drey and a bird nest

A drey can be found up to twenty feet high in the tallest trees and is larger than the average bird nest. Squirrels may build their drey or use one previously built by another animal.

How do you distinguish between a squirrel's drey and a bird's nest? Drey's are clumps of leaves, pine needles, moss, and twigs. Bird nests are usually made of pencil-sized sticks.