In interior Alaska and some parts of Canada, witches' broom (an abnormal outgrowth of branches of the tree resembling the sweeping end of a broom), is commonly seen on black and white spruce trees. From late fall through the winter, the brooms are dark brown or "dead"looking and are often mistaken for birds' and squirrels' nests.
Not every nest in trees is a bird nest! Here's what a squirrel nest looks like and how to deter squirrels from nesting in your yard.
Portland Press Herald: Those ‘nests’ you see in trees in winter probably belong to squirrels
Those ‘nests’ you see in trees in winter probably belong to squirrels
Stan Boutin has climbed more than 5,000 spruce trees in the last 30 years. He has often returned to the forest floor knowing if a ball of twigs and moss within the tree contained newborn red squirrel pups. Over the years, those squirrels have taught Boutin and his colleagues many things, including an apparent ability to predict the future. Boutin, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, was ...
Yahoo: The Ball of Leaves in Your Tree Is (Probably) Not a Bird Nest
The Ball of Leaves in Your Tree Is (Probably) Not a Bird Nest
The summer foliage of deciduous trees has dropped and their bare limbs are exposed. What is discovered in the bare canopies? The bare winter tree limbs reveal what busy neighborhood squirrels have ...
Miami Herald: ‘Squirrel nest’ in tree was really large, prickly Texas rodent that you should avoid
Texas biologist Craig Hensley reports he walked past what looked like a squirrel nest in a tree. It was actually a porcupine. Craig Hensley/Texas Parks and Wildlife photo Blending in is almost ...