Uncover the Secrets of the Winter Squirrel Dreys Above Your Backyard
High above the snow and sidewalks, tucked into the bare branches of neighborhood trees, gray and red squirrels are weathering the cold in nests they built themselves.
They’re among the few wild creatures we see almost every day, yet few of us know what happens once they disappear into those leafy clumps or dart beneath a pine.
Nature’s Architects
If you’ve ever noticed a round bundle of leaves perched high in a tree, you’ve spotted a drey — the winter home of a squirrel.
Each drey begins with a sturdy base of twigs wedged deep into a branch fork, layered with leaves, moss, and shredded bark. Inside, the squirrel lines a soft inner chamber with grass and pine needles, creating a pocket just big enough for one or two animals.
It’s nature’s version of double insulation: tough on the outside, soft and warm within.
When temperatures drop, that tiny chamber traps body heat surprisingly well. On the coldest nights, gray squirrels may even share a drey, curling up nose-to-tail — a rare truce between typically solitary neighbors.
Wide Awake Through Winter
Unlike many small mammals, squirrels don’t hibernate.
Even on the coldest days, they remain active — though they slow their pace.
During snowstorms or deep cold snaps, they often stay tucked inside their dreys for a day or two, sleeping curled up in a tight ball with their tails wrapped like blankets.
To survive winter, they rely on a combination of stored food, thick fur, and body heat conservation.
Both gray and red squirrels grow a denser winter coat, with longer guard hairs and a plush underlayer that traps warmth like down.
Their body temperature stays steady year-round, so they simply adjust their behavior — feeding quickly, basking on sunny branches, and retreating to shelter when the wind rises.
The Eastern Gray Squirrel: City Survivor
The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is Ontario’s most familiar species — the one bounding across backyards, raiding bird feeders, and leaping from fence to tree with acrobatic ease.
Gray squirrels didn’t invent the drey for urban life — they’ve used them for thousands of years — but cities and suburbs have made this ancient skill more important than ever.
In old forests, they often nested inside hollow trees. In towns and parks, where large old trunks are rare, they rely on self-built dreys instead. These nests are quick to rebuild after storms, high enough to avoid most predators, and made entirely from materials close at hand.
So when you see a squirrel scampering along a power line or perched in a snowy maple, you’re watching a forest survivor thriving in a man-made world — proof that adaptability is one of nature’s greatest strengths.
Many Coats, One Species
That blur of fur in your yard might be gray, black, or even a warm cinnamon brown — but they’re all Eastern Gray Squirrels.
Their varied coats come from natural genetic differences, not separate species.
Black squirrels carry more pigment, which helps them absorb heat in winter sunlight, while brown individuals show a mix of both gene types.
Here are some fascinating facts about squirrels:
The American Red Squirrel: Voice of the Northern Woods
Smaller, quicker, and far more vocal, the American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) lives wherever conifers dominate — from Muskoka and Algonquin to pine stands within suburban neighborhoods.
They build compact, well-hidden dreys deep among evergreen branches or inside hollow stumps, usually close to a cache of cones called a midden.
Red squirrels are fiercely territorial and don’t share nests, even in the coldest weather. Their homes are insulated with shredded bark, grass, and fur, and the snow itself acts like a blanket, sealing in warmth.
They may be smaller than their gray cousins, but their chattering voices and bold personalities fill the winter forest with sound.
And while they prefer natural settings, many red squirrels adapt to life near people — caching cones or seeds in sheds and attics when forests overlap with backyards.
Memory and Map Skills
Squirrels are far from scatterbrained — in fact, they’re masters of memory.
Gray squirrels hide hundreds of nuts each autumn, using landmarks, scent, and even the position of the sun to find them months later.
They don’t recover every cache, but their forgetfulness serves a purpose: the ones left behind often sprout into new trees.
The Secret Language of Squirrels
Listen closely on a winter morning, and you might hear more than you realize.
Squirrels use a complex language of chirps, tail flicks, and warning calls to communicate.
They vary their sounds depending on the type of threat — short, sharp “kuk” calls for ground predators and longer trills for hawks above.
Their expressive tails also speak volumes: a quiver can signal agitation, while a slow wave may show curiosity.
It’s a constant dialogue among the treetops — and a reminder that the forest is never truly silent.
The Rhythm of the Year
Even in the deep of winter, squirrels are already planning ahead.
Mating season begins as early as late January or February, when daylight lengthens and food becomes more predictable.
Males chase females through the trees in lively, spiraling games of tag — a burst of motion against the quiet snow.
After about six weeks, the first litter of kits is born in March or April, tucked safely inside a tree cavity or thickly insulated drey.
If conditions are good, a second litter follows in midsummer.
Young squirrels leave the nest around ten weeks old, learning to leap, climb, and bury food before their first fall.
In the wild, most live only two to three years, though some survive longer — up to six years for red squirrels and eight or more for gray squirrels in ideal conditions.
How Families Can Help
Big change often starts with one small action. Even though squirrels aren’t endangered, your actions can help protect them.
Here’s how:
- Protect old trees and mature forests. Older trees offer the best branches, cavities, and bark shelters for squirrel nests. Supporting decisions that keep big, established trees standing makes a real difference.
- Plant native trees and shrubs. Oaks, hickories, beeches, walnuts, and native maples provide food and long-term habitat. Even one native tree planted today becomes future shelter and nourishment for generations of wildlife.
- Keep dogs leashed in natural areas. Off-leash pets can disturb nesting squirrels and other wildlife, especially in winter and early spring. Leashing keeps everyone — pets, wildlife, and people — safer.
Ontario’s squirrels build leafy dreys, shelters for winter.
Final Thoughts
Winter has a quiet way of revealing what we overlook all year long — the tucked-away dreys, the hidden paths between branches, and the small neighbours who stay busy even in the cold. When we learn to notice these tiny details, we teach our kids to move through the world with curiosity, wonder, and care.
Next time you’re out on a frosty morning, look up into the trees. Those round bundles of leaves silhouetted against the gray sky aren’t just leftovers from autumn — they’re warm, living homes. Inside, a squirrel may be curled tight, tail over nose, waiting for the day’s next patch of sun.
Discover More Wild Wonders
If your family loved learning about squirrels, explore more in the Wild Wonders series:
