<P> Typical bird nests range from 2 centimetres (0.79 in) in size (hummingbirds) to 2 metres (6.6 ft) (eagles) in diameter . The largest nest on record was made by a pair of bald eagles . It was 2.9 metres (9.5 ft) in diameter, 6 metres (20 ft) deep and was estimated to weigh more than 2 tonnes (4,400 lb). The lightest bird nests may weigh only a few grams . Incubation mounds of the mallee fowl can reach heights of 4.57 metres (15.0 ft) and widths of 10.6 metres (35 ft). It is estimated the animal uses as much as 300 tonnes (660,000 lb) of material in its construction . The extinct Sylviornis neocaledoniae may have constructed nesting mounds 50 metres (160 ft) in diameter . </P> <P> Many species of small mammals such as rodents, rabbits, and ground squirrels dig burrows into the ground to protect themselves and their young . Prairie dogs build an elaborate system of tunnels which can span large stretches of land . One such structure, called a town, spanned 25,000 square miles (65,000 km) and held an estimate 400 million individuals . Their homes are designed to withstand large (above - ground) temperature variation, floods, and fire . Their young are raised in the deepest chambers where the temperature is the most stable . </P> <P> Many mammals, including raccoons and skunks, seek natural cavities in the ground or in trees to build their nests . Tree squirrels build their nests (dreys) in trees, while voles nest in tall grass . In some species, the nest serve as homes for adults while in others they are used to raise young . The duck - billed platypus and the echidna lay eggs in nests . </P> <P> Gorillas build fresh nests daily out of leaves and other vegetation in which they sleep at night . They sometimes also build nests during the day for resting in . The smaller species of gorilla build their nests in trees, while the larger are confined to the ground . Nests of the western gorilla, the largest species, measure about 1 metre (3.3 ft) in diameter . </P>

What kind of animals live in a nest known as dre's