Strange "nest" in Tennessee - any help appreciated! (rabbits, birds)

[CountryGirl2b=]

My neighbor showed me this 'nest' that something is building ON HER FRONT PORCH. She says it gets a little bigger every day. About a foot and a half high. Can't imagine it's a bird. Any ideas? Thanks much!

[OwlKaMyst]

Looks like a mini version of what the giant wood rats build here. If it 'grows' only at night, it's most likely a rodent.
That's a pretty bold critter to build right there on the front porch. She must be a genuine animal lover and the critter knows it.
Pretty cool I think.

[chiroptera]

Oh that's cool.

I have no idea; don't know of any birds that build elaborate nests on the ground like that. I looked up wood rat and that seems like a possibility.
Pack rat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[puginabug]

Bigfoot.

[tonylu]

I'm not ruling out the pack rat idea but I notice the fluffballs in the nest look like down indicating possibly a bird. They could be cotton balls or cotton fluff though so I'm not completely sure. You could do a real scientific study of this and set up a camera or stay up late to watch the nest. Whoever's building it is bound to come back. Be sure to give us picture updates!

[brokencrayola]

It doesn't really look like a nest, it looks like fallen twings etc. from a bird trying to unsucessfully to build a nest. Is there an area above these twigs where she can see birds trying to build a nest? Birds will keep collecting twigs etc. and try to build a nest and the stuff will fall into a pile below.

[Grettastone]

This is strange.Hopefully she will get a pic. of the critter that we can see.It must be large like to be makeing such a big nest.

[bjh]

Well, what was it? Bigfoot!

[JanND]

rabbits.