NEST-USE BY RED SQUIRRELS (SCIURUS-VULGARIS LINNAEUS, 1758)

Nest-use of free-ranging red squirrels, Sciurus vulgaris, was studied over a two year period, using radio-telemetry. Squirrels used nests in sequence, whereby about 12 nests were used in six months. Two types of nests were recognized, nests used during the day to rest in (rest nests), and nests used at night to sleep in (sleeping nests). A << main-nest >> was revisited often over a period of four to seven months. Other nests were used less often and over a shorter period. Nest-use varied seasonally, according to variation in food abundance and reproductive activity. Nest sharing occurred rarely, usually only between partners in the mating season, and most nests were used by only one squirrel. This suggests that dreys might be scent-marked and hence indirectly defended against conspecifics.