A novel bird nest-like nanostructured MnO2 (BNNS-MnO2) was prepared by a facile and cost-effective strategy. Their structures and morphologies were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Capacitive behaviors were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge. The obtained nano-MnO2 possesses a well designed loose-assembled hierarchical nanoarchitecture with an appropriate crystallinity which gives rise to excellent performances as an electrode material for supercapacitors. A maximum specific capacitance of 917 F/g has been obtained at a current density of 5 mA/cm2 in 6 mol/L KOH aqueous solution, and a specific capacitance of 210 F/g has been maintained for 500 cycles. As the low cost of MnSO4 and KCr2O7 and the low reaction temperature, the present method avoids the requirements for complicated operations, time/energy-consuming and expensive reagents, and perhaps is ready for the industrialization of nano-MnO2 production.