What Does “A Nest of Rabbits” Mean?
“Nest” describes something rabbits genuinely build, though it’s a bit different from a bird’s nest. A pregnant doe prepares a specific nesting chamber, sometimes within the main warren, sometimes in a separate shallow burrow dug just for this purpose, and lines it carefully with grass, leaves, and fur she plucks from her own belly, creating a soft, insulated space for her upcoming litter.
That self-plucked fur serves a real dual purpose: it lines the nest for warmth, and it also exposes the doe’s nipples, making nursing easier once the kits arrive. Rabbit kits are born blind, hairless, and completely dependent, and the mother visits the nest only briefly, often just once a day, to nurse, an unusually hands-off approach among mammals that actually helps keep the nest’s scent trail minimal and less likely to attract predators to the vulnerable litter.
Example: “The gardener discovered a nest of rabbits tucked beneath the shed, carefully lined with soft fur.”
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals · What Is a Group of Rabbits Called?