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Flattened Fauna: A Field Guide to Common Animals of Roads, Streets and Highways
A definitive guide for the millions of people who seldom see a wild animal that has not been flattened by dozens of vehicles and baked in the sun to an indistinct fur, scale or feather-covered patty.
Flattened Fauna is unique, bizarre, intelligent and quietly, incidentally amusing. In it is a wealth of fascinating information about the eating, mating and locomotion habits of more than three dozen of the most common roadside animals in North America:
Road Snakes Legged Reptiles and Amphibians Road Birds Road Mammals Plus The Road as Habitat The history and Future of Road Fauna Mimicry and Protective Coloration How and Where to Study the Road Fauna96 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 20, 2013
Roger Knutson, professor emeritus of biology at Luther College (Iowa), put together this campy yet accurate field guide to all things flattened on streets, roads, and highways. What I'm sure started out as some kind of biological nerd joke has blossomed into a classic piece of field biology literature. I have given this book as a gift on more than one occasion, and it's always well received.
My personal favorite section of the book is where the author included black silhouette shapes of everything flattened, from snakes to birds. If you stop and look at real life 2D flattened fauna, you'll find that those sketches are pretty darned accurate!
This is definitely a 5-star offering for the biologist/naturalist in your life. As for normal people? They actually enjoy it quite a bit too!
5 stars.
Roger, thanks for the info and the smiles!
My personal favorite section of the book is where the author included black silhouette shapes of everything flattened, from snakes to birds. If you stop and look at real life 2D flattened fauna, you'll find that those sketches are pretty darned accurate!
This is definitely a 5-star offering for the biologist/naturalist in your life. As for normal people? They actually enjoy it quite a bit too!
5 stars.
Roger, thanks for the info and the smiles!
September 23, 2012
I think this book is a reprint of one from the 1970s or 80s because I remember reading this in the john when I was young. It's a favored book of many Biologists mainly because it's funny. It is informative though so it's not a joke book.
If you have no sense of humor and/or you are a serious ASPCA promoter you will not find this book funny. If you are unrealistic about life and what happens to animals along roads because of vehicles, you will not enjoy this book. If you are overly sensitive about death or have young children who you've sold the fantasy that living things don't die until they're old and grey you will really hate this book.
It's not a book that we used often. My parents had careers based in biology so this book didn't bother them. As you can see they were very blasé about leaving it out in full view. It took me a while as a kid to realize that it was a droll take on identification journals. It's good for some laughs.
If you have no sense of humor and/or you are a serious ASPCA promoter you will not find this book funny. If you are unrealistic about life and what happens to animals along roads because of vehicles, you will not enjoy this book. If you are overly sensitive about death or have young children who you've sold the fantasy that living things don't die until they're old and grey you will really hate this book.
It's not a book that we used often. My parents had careers based in biology so this book didn't bother them. As you can see they were very blasé about leaving it out in full view. It took me a while as a kid to realize that it was a droll take on identification journals. It's good for some laughs.
May 15, 2016
The first few lines are utterly amazing, hilarious, wonderful. There are some goofy parts in there about roadkill as a viable group, commenting on the lack of reproduction etc., and there is some interesting info about why each type of animal might be on the road on what time of year.
It's a usable field guide--I thought maybe it was a humor piece, but info I crosschecked from other sources checked out. It does mean it can be a little dry though, even with the humor sprinkled throughout.
I think everyone should read the first page. Not so sure about after that for nonbiology enthusiasts.
It's a usable field guide--I thought maybe it was a humor piece, but info I crosschecked from other sources checked out. It does mean it can be a little dry though, even with the humor sprinkled throughout.
I think everyone should read the first page. Not so sure about after that for nonbiology enthusiasts.
April 4, 2015
Love this very tongue-in-cheek book. If you've used field guides you'll recognize all the signs in this one, except that you have to do your identifying at speed unless there is somewhere safe to pull over. I lost my original copy but happily it's now in ebook (I got mine at BN). Wish I could find 'What bird did this' and the 2 other skewed bird field guides I used to have. Anyhow, this book is great fun!Take it on your next road trip - it's sooo much more than highway bingo and counting license plates!
March 28, 2009
A definitive guide for people who seldom see a wild animal that has not been flattened by dozens of vehicles and baked by the sun to an indistinct fur, scale or feather-covered patty.
Includes such dubious details as:
The Road as Habitat
Mimicry and Protective Coloration in the Road Fauna
Animal Psoture and Presentation on the Road
and a Key to Major Catagories of flattened fauna
Intereesting fact: Lane Lines in the USA are a standard 4 inches across.
Includes such dubious details as:
The Road as Habitat
Mimicry and Protective Coloration in the Road Fauna
Animal Psoture and Presentation on the Road
and a Key to Major Catagories of flattened fauna
Intereesting fact: Lane Lines in the USA are a standard 4 inches across.
June 19, 2013
I read this book as my 'bathroom book' over several weeks' time, and...well, to be honest, I'm still not sure if this is a tongue-in-cheek book or if the guy was serious. It's about the history of 'flattened animals' on our roadway and how to identify the more common species found, even if they're thin as a pancake. It was funny, it was informative...but for me, an average person, I can't really say it was useful information. Especially since I'm still not sure if the guy was serious. LOL
February 24, 2014
Professorial in his writers voice and authority and learning yet wonderfully tongue-in-cheek as he writes of two-dimensional wildlife. I love the image of the aggressive and therefore oft-flattened opossum in a stand-off with a truck.
Not exactly the kind of book to read cover to cover, but wonderful and laugh-out-loud funny in places.
Not exactly the kind of book to read cover to cover, but wonderful and laugh-out-loud funny in places.
December 10, 2018
A helpful guide to identifying roadkill that comes with some morbid humor.
I wouldn't recommend this to the average person, but if you are interested in what you see flattened on the roads or doing research on roadkill (which is my case) I would recommend it. It is a a quick, nice read.
I wouldn't recommend this to the average person, but if you are interested in what you see flattened on the roads or doing research on roadkill (which is my case) I would recommend it. It is a a quick, nice read.
August 20, 2011
Has definite appeal for those who commute.
February 6, 2014
Very humorous. A fun short read.
Want to Read
October 4, 2014I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12941384
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12941384
April 14, 2010
This is an amazing book!!! Absolutely hilarious :)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews