Other Nest Types
| Witches Broom Witches broom, a dense growth found on conifer trees such as pine and spruce, can also afford great protection from predators and the elements. Witches broom is caused primarily by a parasitic plant called dwarf mistletoe, which wounds the tree and causes a large, dense, long-living abnormal growth. Also involved in the process is a fungus called Apiosporina collinsii. Brooming trees eventually succumb to this parasite, although the process can take decades. Downed Wood Also called coarse woody debris, fallen trees and nurse logs. Researchers tracking radio-collared flying squirrels have found some indivduals employing chambers beneath downed logs for refuge purposes. No nests have ever been found. This behaviour is not well documented and the reason(s) why it occurs are not known. Unnatural Homes Bird houses, stacked cordwood piles and attics of homes and other buildings have been utilized by flying squirrels as nesting sites and refugia since the colonization of North America by Europeans. |