treenesters

Treenesters are organisms that spend the major part of their life in trees and rely on trees for shelter, reproduction, or food. The term is used in ecological descriptions to refer to species with arboreal lifestyles that construct or use nests within the forest canopy. It is not a taxonomic group, and usage varies by field.

They inhabit tropical and temperate forests, woodlands, and urban canopies. Treenesters are adapted for life in the vertical environment of trees, with climbing ability, grasping limbs, flight or gliding between branches, and sometimes specialized nesting structures. Their presence often centers on the availability of tree hollows, dense foliage, or suitable bark and branches for shelter.

Examples range from cavity-nesting birds such as woodpeckers and owls to canopy-dwelling passerines, as well as arboreal mammals like squirrels and some primates. Insects that nest in bark or twigs and certain reptiles also fit the treenester concept. The range of nesting styles includes simple hollows, woven or woven-like nests, leaf tents, and other arboreal shelters.

Ecologically, treenesters contribute to forest dynamics through pollination, seed dispersal, pest control, and the creation of nesting cavities used by other species. They are studied through field surveys, nest monitoring, tagging, and acoustic methods to understand their behaviors, population trends, and interactions within canopy ecosystems.