On Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:14:39 -0800, Frogwatch wrote:

It happens every morning, a terrified squirrel runs back and forth in
the road in front of the oncoming juggernaut of a car in panic not able
to know what to do. We call them suicide squirrels because they appear
to do it intentionally although it is simply their inability to think
due to fear.

Funny, but something I've noticed around here (NJ), squirrels don't seem
to do that as much anymore. It must be Darwin at work, but now, only
occasionally will a squirrel act squirrelly. For the most part, they
head straight for a tree.

Something else I've noticed, a crow will hop perpendicularly out of the
road, and only as far as needed. Crows must be smarter than
squirrels. ;-)