| Squirrels typically build nests, called dreys, high in the woodland canopy. They will however also use tree holes and sometimes nest boxes. Nest boxes were first successfully used to monitor wild red squirrels in the UK at a site in west Lancashire. This study revealed that the animals would readily breed within the boxes. It was also discovered that rates of box use declined through the winter and spring months. The peak in use was in the autumn, the season of the year when red squirrel populations are typically at there highest density.
Pictures are available in our nest box photogallery and thumbnail images from Newborough forest June 2007
On the island of Anglesey, 60 nest boxes have been used to monitor the wild red squirrel population in Mynydd Llwydiarth since 2001. The boxes are an invaluable tool and have yielded vital data on litter sizes and parturition dates.
A strip of double sided tape is placed just inside the nest box entrance hole and this catches hair from the squirrels as they brush against it. This reveals if red squirrels (or indeed grey squirrels) have visited the box. We always ensure that the boxes are full of hay when first erected, and the squirrels nest within this material. They either make a cavity within the hay or sleep on top in a hollow. The animals will bring material into the boxes themselves. This includes items such as dry moss, soft strips of bark, grass, and sometime peices of foilage and twigs.
- With double sided tape placed inside the entrance hole, nest boxes operate like a larger version of a hair tube.
- However, unlike tubes, boxes reveal that animals are nesting in an area, and allow inspection of young, recovery of corpses, and the potential to capture nesting red squirrels discovered with obvious symptoms of squirrel-pox virus.
- In 2006, we were able to kill an adult female grey squirrel and litter of three young in Newborough forest. Trapping had taken place just the previous week, but the female had not been caught or seen. She was later discovered in a nest box
 where both her and the young were shot.
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 It is a common myth that red squirrels will not use nest boxes. They will readily use nest boxes providing that the box contains dry nest material.
Captive and wild red squirrels will use nest boxes. They have been recorded using a range of differenet box designs. However, as a broad rule of thumb, a suitable box should be big enough so that a football could fit inside inside.
Nest boxes have been used to monitor the wild red squirrel population in Mynydd Llwydiarth since February of 2001. This year wll be the fifth year of monitoring.
So far a total of three litters of young have been found.
In the Newborough reintroduction project, red squirrels regularly use between 73-87% of the 30 nest boxes in the forest. Captive animals also have access to boxes, but interestingly they will also built dreys in their enclosures.
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