Most Pennsylvanians are familiar with the gray squirrel, which lives both in towns and rural areas. Squirrels are fast and agile, scaling trees and jumping from treetop to treetop with great speed. When jumping, they use their large tails to help keep balanced.
Squirrels see only in shades of black and white, but their eyes are sharp and detect movement well.
They have keen senses of hearing and smell. They are most active in early mornings and late afternoons, except the nocturnal flying squirrel. Squirrels are rodents and the four species do not interbreed. Born blind and hairless, young are dependent upon their mother for up to two months. In early spring, squirrels eat buds, a high-energy food.