1. birds or other animals that build nests
2. settlers who established homesteads on open range land
Usage: historical; American West

Examples

• The cliff nesters return to the same rocky ledges each spring.
• Ground nesters like quail are vulnerable to predators.
• Early nesters often have better breeding success than late arrivals.
• The ranchers opposed the nesters who fenced off grazing land.
• Many nesters struggled to farm the harsh prairie conditions.
• Conflicts between cattlemen and nesters were common in the 1880s.