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Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind: A Naturalist Debunks Our Favorite Fallacies About Wildlife
In this fascinating book, wildlife expert and enthusiast Warner Shedd refutes popular animal myths like squirrels remembering where they bury nuts, wolves howling at the moon, and oppossums "playing dead."
Have you ever seen a flying squirrel flapping through the air, watched a beaver carrying a load of mud on its tail, or ducked when a porcupine started throwing its quills? Probably not, says Shedd, former regional executive for the National Wildlife Federation. Offering scientific evidence that refutes many of the most tenacious and persevering folklore about wild animals, Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind will captivate you with fascinating facts and humorous anecdotes about more than thirty North American species-- some as familiar as the common toad, and others as elusive as the lynx.
Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind is an entertaining dose of scientific reality for any nature enthusiast or armchair adventurer.
Have you ever seen a flying squirrel flapping through the air, watched a beaver carrying a load of mud on its tail, or ducked when a porcupine started throwing its quills? Probably not, says Shedd, former regional executive for the National Wildlife Federation. Offering scientific evidence that refutes many of the most tenacious and persevering folklore about wild animals, Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind will captivate you with fascinating facts and humorous anecdotes about more than thirty North American species-- some as familiar as the common toad, and others as elusive as the lynx.
Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind is an entertaining dose of scientific reality for any nature enthusiast or armchair adventurer.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
124 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 25, 2021
5 stars as this book is a favorite of mine. I love read facts about wild animals.
February 12, 2009
It’s funny that such a little thing should be such a distraction, especially something as small as an exclamation point!!! But where was the editor on this project? I have read book after book and never come across a single exclamation point! Guess what? They are all in this book! After awhile the very sight of one made me moan! There must be one per page!
Otherwise, the book is filled with useful, fun information! It debunks a lot of old folk wisdom! Example: I have worked with owls for years; and, yes indeed, as the title suggests, they are not wise, or scholarly, or even urbane! They are stoic but if they had money, you could certainly dupe them into a Ponzi scheme! But you do not need an exclamation point to rely those kinds of tidbits! I repeat: Where! Was! The! Editor?!?!
Otherwise, the book is filled with useful, fun information! It debunks a lot of old folk wisdom! Example: I have worked with owls for years; and, yes indeed, as the title suggests, they are not wise, or scholarly, or even urbane! They are stoic but if they had money, you could certainly dupe them into a Ponzi scheme! But you do not need an exclamation point to rely those kinds of tidbits! I repeat: Where! Was! The! Editor?!?!
April 29, 2020
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2020-a book with more than 25 letters in the title.
I found this to be a very interesting and fascinating read. It was much more than a book debunking myths and had a lot of information about a wide variety of animals (all North American as the author has worked in different wildlife jobs in New England throughout his life).
Also lots of info as to how the animals contribute to live together in ecosystems
I found this to be a very interesting and fascinating read. It was much more than a book debunking myths and had a lot of information about a wide variety of animals (all North American as the author has worked in different wildlife jobs in New England throughout his life).
Also lots of info as to how the animals contribute to live together in ecosystems
May 30, 2011
Read this for work.
I was unfamiliar with at least half of the myths presented in this book. The use of myths seemed like a weak vehicle for writing short life histories of the mammals and amphibians presented in this book. This book is appropriate for an general audience being introduced to these species.
I could have done without the personal stories about wildlife observations.
I was unfamiliar with at least half of the myths presented in this book. The use of myths seemed like a weak vehicle for writing short life histories of the mammals and amphibians presented in this book. This book is appropriate for an general audience being introduced to these species.
I could have done without the personal stories about wildlife observations.
May 31, 2018
“Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind: A Naturalist Debunks Our Favorite Fallacies About Wildlife” by Warner Shedd and Trudy Nicholson
“Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind” is a solid book that addresses the myths and fallacies about wildlife. Wildlife expert Warner Shedd debunks wildlife myths while providing accurate scientific information, in an accessible manner. This engaging 338-page book includes twenty-four chapters with each chapter covering a specific animal (from beavers to bisons).
Positives:
1. An engaging, well-written book.
2. Interesting topic, debunking popular wildlife myths.
3. It’s accessible and fun to read. Each chapter covers an animal and the myths associated with them.
4. This book debunks myths. “It’s widely and erroneously believed that beavers include fish in their diet. However, beavers are entirely vegetarian.”
5. Showcases positive attributes of each animal. “This propensity for creating openings in wetlands makes the muskrat extremely valuable to other species. Without open areas, ducks, geese, herons, egrets, and numerous other birds would derive little benefit from marshes, shallow ponds, and similar wet areas.”
6. The life of squirrels. “Far from being vegetarians, as most people believe, reds and grays alike are quick to consume birds’ eggs and baby birds whenever they have the chance, and grays are known to feed on forest-dwelling frogs. The reds, even more omnivorous than the grays, go a step further and often eat the young of small mammals such as mice and voles.”
7. The fascinating porcupine. “Porcupine quills are actually highly specialized hairs, totally distinct from the short underfur and very long guard hairs. A porcupine has an astonishing 30,000 quills to protect its back, flanks, and tail—an average of about 140 quills per square inch on much of its body!”
8. Bats! “Approximately 55 million years ago, and nearly that long before we humans even existed, bats had evolved into winged creatures—the only mammal that truly flies.”
9. Life expectancy surprises. “Possums, in contrast, almost never live to be more than two years old, and most fail to make it even that far.”
10. The armadillo’s plates. “Although an armadillo’s tough, horny plates do serve in extremis as a defense against predators, they probably function more as a shield against thorns, spines, and sharp twigs. The armadillo mostly inhabits areas where sharp, spiny plants seem to be the rule, and its armor enables the little creature to escape danger by scurrying with impunity into thick, thorny brush too daunting for most predators to tackle.”
11. The color of life. “At first glance, the bright color of the efts might seem to work to their disadvantage by making them more visible to predators, but efts are to some degree toxic—though not for humans to handle—and scientists speculate that their bright color may serve as a warning to predators that they should be left alone.”
12. Important terms explained. “Toads are amphibians, with all that the term implies. The word is derived from the Greek amphi, of two kinds, and bios, life, and refers to the fact that toads and other amphibians can live both on land and in the water. Indeed, water or a very moist environment is required for amphibians to reproduce, although many spend most of their lives on dry land.”
13. Hoot doesn’t love owls. “Owls’ hearing is even more astonishing than their eyesight. Indeed, despite superb nocturnal vision, owls hunt at night more by sound than sight. So incredibly sensitive is their hearing that, according to researcher Allen Eckert, some species of owls can hear a mouse squeak as much as a half-mile away!”
14. The future of some of these animals are discussed. “Herons have been around for a long time—at least 14 million years, according to the fossil record—and the great blue heron, or a remarkably similar counterpart, existed nearly 2 million years ago. Despite the concerns already noted, the great blue seems destined to remain abundant.”
15. The value of weasels. “And although one can understand the wrath of a farmer who found his flock of hens dead, the damage done to poultry by weasels was always minor compared to the good they did—and continue to do—in controlling mice, rats, and other rodents.”
16. The mythology of wolverines. “The reputed ferocity of the wolverine toward humans, and its supposedly supernatural cunning, is a good example of the mythology that has grown up around this creature.”
17. Full of factoids! “Sea otters commonly weigh up to eighty or eighty-five pounds, and a few specimens have reached one hundred pounds. Lacking the seal’s insulating layer of blubber, sea otters survive the cold ocean water by virtue of the densest fur of any animal—100,000 hairs per square centimeter!”
18. As sly as a fox. “Extensive research has revealed that foxes retrieve and eat most of this cached food, finding each cache mainly by an extraordinary memory for its exact location. The fox’s keen sense of smell also helps it locate caches, especially if the fox recalls only the approximate location of the cache, or if the site is covered by several inches of snow.”
19. Important advice. “Let me be very blunt about it: wolf-dog hybrids are DANGEROUS! Many owners of these crosses become highly incensed at the idea that their lovely hybrid could cause problems, let alone harm anyone. However, the facts tell a very different story.”
20. Selected bibliography and much more…
Negatives:
1. Lack of supplementary materials that would have added much value to this book. Lack of charts, maps, comparison tables, etc…
2. Along the same line as the previous negative, I would have organized this material a little better.
3. The book is limited to North American wildlife.
4. Not the reference book quality that it could have been. The information is not as easily accessible as it should have been.
In summary, a fun book on North American wildlife. He covers a wide variety of animals and provides interesting tidbits and debunks myths. The lack of visual material and/or supplementary material keeps it from being a 5-star book but what’s here is fun even when you have to dig for the information. I recommend it!
Further recommendations: “The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works and Why It Matters”, “The Making of the Fittest” and “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” by Sean B. Carroll, “The Lives of Animals” by J. Coetzee and Amy Gutman, “Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? By Frans de Waal, “A Most Improbable Journey” by Walter Alvarez, and “A New History of Life” by Peter Ward.
“Owls Aren't Wise & Bats Aren't Blind” is a solid book that addresses the myths and fallacies about wildlife. Wildlife expert Warner Shedd debunks wildlife myths while providing accurate scientific information, in an accessible manner. This engaging 338-page book includes twenty-four chapters with each chapter covering a specific animal (from beavers to bisons).
Positives:
1. An engaging, well-written book.
2. Interesting topic, debunking popular wildlife myths.
3. It’s accessible and fun to read. Each chapter covers an animal and the myths associated with them.
4. This book debunks myths. “It’s widely and erroneously believed that beavers include fish in their diet. However, beavers are entirely vegetarian.”
5. Showcases positive attributes of each animal. “This propensity for creating openings in wetlands makes the muskrat extremely valuable to other species. Without open areas, ducks, geese, herons, egrets, and numerous other birds would derive little benefit from marshes, shallow ponds, and similar wet areas.”
6. The life of squirrels. “Far from being vegetarians, as most people believe, reds and grays alike are quick to consume birds’ eggs and baby birds whenever they have the chance, and grays are known to feed on forest-dwelling frogs. The reds, even more omnivorous than the grays, go a step further and often eat the young of small mammals such as mice and voles.”
7. The fascinating porcupine. “Porcupine quills are actually highly specialized hairs, totally distinct from the short underfur and very long guard hairs. A porcupine has an astonishing 30,000 quills to protect its back, flanks, and tail—an average of about 140 quills per square inch on much of its body!”
8. Bats! “Approximately 55 million years ago, and nearly that long before we humans even existed, bats had evolved into winged creatures—the only mammal that truly flies.”
9. Life expectancy surprises. “Possums, in contrast, almost never live to be more than two years old, and most fail to make it even that far.”
10. The armadillo’s plates. “Although an armadillo’s tough, horny plates do serve in extremis as a defense against predators, they probably function more as a shield against thorns, spines, and sharp twigs. The armadillo mostly inhabits areas where sharp, spiny plants seem to be the rule, and its armor enables the little creature to escape danger by scurrying with impunity into thick, thorny brush too daunting for most predators to tackle.”
11. The color of life. “At first glance, the bright color of the efts might seem to work to their disadvantage by making them more visible to predators, but efts are to some degree toxic—though not for humans to handle—and scientists speculate that their bright color may serve as a warning to predators that they should be left alone.”
12. Important terms explained. “Toads are amphibians, with all that the term implies. The word is derived from the Greek amphi, of two kinds, and bios, life, and refers to the fact that toads and other amphibians can live both on land and in the water. Indeed, water or a very moist environment is required for amphibians to reproduce, although many spend most of their lives on dry land.”
13. Hoot doesn’t love owls. “Owls’ hearing is even more astonishing than their eyesight. Indeed, despite superb nocturnal vision, owls hunt at night more by sound than sight. So incredibly sensitive is their hearing that, according to researcher Allen Eckert, some species of owls can hear a mouse squeak as much as a half-mile away!”
14. The future of some of these animals are discussed. “Herons have been around for a long time—at least 14 million years, according to the fossil record—and the great blue heron, or a remarkably similar counterpart, existed nearly 2 million years ago. Despite the concerns already noted, the great blue seems destined to remain abundant.”
15. The value of weasels. “And although one can understand the wrath of a farmer who found his flock of hens dead, the damage done to poultry by weasels was always minor compared to the good they did—and continue to do—in controlling mice, rats, and other rodents.”
16. The mythology of wolverines. “The reputed ferocity of the wolverine toward humans, and its supposedly supernatural cunning, is a good example of the mythology that has grown up around this creature.”
17. Full of factoids! “Sea otters commonly weigh up to eighty or eighty-five pounds, and a few specimens have reached one hundred pounds. Lacking the seal’s insulating layer of blubber, sea otters survive the cold ocean water by virtue of the densest fur of any animal—100,000 hairs per square centimeter!”
18. As sly as a fox. “Extensive research has revealed that foxes retrieve and eat most of this cached food, finding each cache mainly by an extraordinary memory for its exact location. The fox’s keen sense of smell also helps it locate caches, especially if the fox recalls only the approximate location of the cache, or if the site is covered by several inches of snow.”
19. Important advice. “Let me be very blunt about it: wolf-dog hybrids are DANGEROUS! Many owners of these crosses become highly incensed at the idea that their lovely hybrid could cause problems, let alone harm anyone. However, the facts tell a very different story.”
20. Selected bibliography and much more…
Negatives:
1. Lack of supplementary materials that would have added much value to this book. Lack of charts, maps, comparison tables, etc…
2. Along the same line as the previous negative, I would have organized this material a little better.
3. The book is limited to North American wildlife.
4. Not the reference book quality that it could have been. The information is not as easily accessible as it should have been.
In summary, a fun book on North American wildlife. He covers a wide variety of animals and provides interesting tidbits and debunks myths. The lack of visual material and/or supplementary material keeps it from being a 5-star book but what’s here is fun even when you have to dig for the information. I recommend it!
Further recommendations: “The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works and Why It Matters”, “The Making of the Fittest” and “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” by Sean B. Carroll, “The Lives of Animals” by J. Coetzee and Amy Gutman, “Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? By Frans de Waal, “A Most Improbable Journey” by Walter Alvarez, and “A New History of Life” by Peter Ward.
June 8, 2014
Since I am an avid outdoor and nature nut, I really liked this book. It is informative as well as a bit humorous. The author has many tales to tell that happened not only to himself but to others also.
Each chapter deals with a particular animal such as the bat, the cougar, whitetail deer and salamander. Each lists the myths about each critter and why they aren't true. Some of these myths have been around for a long time so there is the question of how they got started, while others come about because someone didn't know something (deer have antlers, not horns like some people think).
So if you like wildlife and like learning about them, this is a great book to have.
Each chapter deals with a particular animal such as the bat, the cougar, whitetail deer and salamander. Each lists the myths about each critter and why they aren't true. Some of these myths have been around for a long time so there is the question of how they got started, while others come about because someone didn't know something (deer have antlers, not horns like some people think).
So if you like wildlife and like learning about them, this is a great book to have.
August 21, 2019
* For educational purpose, this book is for you.
* If you're a zoologist or wildlife officer, this book is for you.
I studied zoology but I have no passion in it. Hence, no passion and intent to further read it after chapter 1.
Read: 21.8.19
* If you're a zoologist or wildlife officer, this book is for you.
I studied zoology but I have no passion in it. Hence, no passion and intent to further read it after chapter 1.
Read: 21.8.19
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2018
Based on the full title, I expected much more of each chapter to be devoted to myths and fallacies about wildlife. While each chapter does cover a few myths and fallacies, the bulk of each chapter is devoted to general info about that animal . . . some of it containing quaint retellings of animal interactions with the author and/or his family. While the book is informative, it just fell short of my expectations - based on the title.
Also, the author used a numbering quantification that I found slightly off-putting. Two examples:
"contain six to ten animals, but packs of twenty or more aren't uncommon and can run as high as about thirty" -and- "at least two litters annually, often three, and sometimes as many as four". I found it odd how the author would give you a usual range, some higher number, and then a range for maximums.
Also, the author used a numbering quantification that I found slightly off-putting. Two examples:
"contain six to ten animals, but packs of twenty or more aren't uncommon and can run as high as about thirty" -and- "at least two litters annually, often three, and sometimes as many as four". I found it odd how the author would give you a usual range, some higher number, and then a range for maximums.
August 11, 2009
As a wildlife lover and a voracious reader of books about wildlife, I already knew that most of the myths listed at the beginning of the chapter are truly myths. The book is very engaging just the same. Although the book confirms much of what I know, there was still much to discover, like that beavers are often flattened and killed by the very trees they're trying to fell and that coy-dog lines die out quickly because the introduction of the dog genes throw procreation out of whack by introducing incompatible behaviors like the fact that male dogs do not help raise pups like coyote males, and dogs often whelp at a time of year that doesn't work too well for coyote survival. A very well-written and interesting book.
February 2, 2015
Amusing book! I learned a lot of really great things about common animals, and now have some points of random trivia. However, there are some of the "myths" that he mentioned that I had never heard of before, and I feel like he maybe made them up so he could divulge some more information about that animal. Some of the animal chapters has must more than I wanted to hear, or much less. Still, a fun read.
September 16, 2020
definitely a fun book to read. you get to learn alot of cool secrets about animals.
August 29, 2019
Superior North American wildlife book
I didn't really think that owls were wise, but these things are relative. Owls are probably "wiser" than sparrows, but certainly not in the same IQ league as ravens and crows. And, although I didn't suppose that bats were completely blind (Shedd assures us that "most actually see quite well"), I knew they didn't depend on their eyes to catch prey. There is a lot of other "obvious" and generally well-known information here, but there is also a wealth of knowledge about thirty or so of the familiar animals of North America that I didn't know or even suspect. I didn't realize, for example, that there are "frequency modulation" (FM) bats as well as ones that use a "constant frequency" (CF), and a third group (CF-FM types) that use both methods of echolocation to zero in on prey. For another example, while I knew that grizzlies are bigger than black bears, I didn't know that Alaskan brown bears are the biggest bears of all, and are not just another name for grizzlies.
What makes this a superior book on the wildlife of North America is the wealth of experience that Shedd brings to the subject and his imminently readable style, combining lots of concrete fact with well-told anecdote. He does an especially good job of clearly defining each species. The chapter on bears is as vivid and memorable as a PBS special. The easy reading (and this is always the case) belies what I know was the very hard work that went into the construction of every sentence. Typical of Shedd's illustrative style (in the floral mode) is this description from page 68: "...a bat's flight is as unpredictable and indecipherable as the movements of a prestidigitator's hands."
Additionally there are a number of beautiful full-page black and white illustrations of the animals by Trudy Nicholson that delight the eye. She has the knack of not only accurate detail, as Shedd notes in the Acknowledgments, but of infusing the animals with a sense of an appropriate and pleasing emotional aspect.
Politically speaking, and every wildlife book in this day and age has its political position, this book steers a middle course. Shedd, himself a hunter and a conservationist, eschews both the tree-hugging sentimentality of the left and the purely commercial mentality of the right.
Attractive and popular, Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind, would make an ideal present for anyone interested in wildlife, from grandchildren to grandparents.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
I didn't really think that owls were wise, but these things are relative. Owls are probably "wiser" than sparrows, but certainly not in the same IQ league as ravens and crows. And, although I didn't suppose that bats were completely blind (Shedd assures us that "most actually see quite well"), I knew they didn't depend on their eyes to catch prey. There is a lot of other "obvious" and generally well-known information here, but there is also a wealth of knowledge about thirty or so of the familiar animals of North America that I didn't know or even suspect. I didn't realize, for example, that there are "frequency modulation" (FM) bats as well as ones that use a "constant frequency" (CF), and a third group (CF-FM types) that use both methods of echolocation to zero in on prey. For another example, while I knew that grizzlies are bigger than black bears, I didn't know that Alaskan brown bears are the biggest bears of all, and are not just another name for grizzlies.
What makes this a superior book on the wildlife of North America is the wealth of experience that Shedd brings to the subject and his imminently readable style, combining lots of concrete fact with well-told anecdote. He does an especially good job of clearly defining each species. The chapter on bears is as vivid and memorable as a PBS special. The easy reading (and this is always the case) belies what I know was the very hard work that went into the construction of every sentence. Typical of Shedd's illustrative style (in the floral mode) is this description from page 68: "...a bat's flight is as unpredictable and indecipherable as the movements of a prestidigitator's hands."
Additionally there are a number of beautiful full-page black and white illustrations of the animals by Trudy Nicholson that delight the eye. She has the knack of not only accurate detail, as Shedd notes in the Acknowledgments, but of infusing the animals with a sense of an appropriate and pleasing emotional aspect.
Politically speaking, and every wildlife book in this day and age has its political position, this book steers a middle course. Shedd, himself a hunter and a conservationist, eschews both the tree-hugging sentimentality of the left and the purely commercial mentality of the right.
Attractive and popular, Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind, would make an ideal present for anyone interested in wildlife, from grandchildren to grandparents.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
March 10, 2021
And how bears won't not chase you if you run up a slope; how toads don't have warts, the bison ('buffalo') is not teetering on the brink of extinction, and red squirrels don't castrate their bigger relatives, grey squirrels. And more, which does make you wonder at the odd myths and rumours that float about, at times becoming so widespread (so what if they're utterly ludicrous) that even when faced with solid proof, people will refuse to believe.
Warner Shedd's book examines all these myths, in the course of several chapters, each of them devoted to one species, or in some cases, several related species. Each chapter begins with a list of the common myths related to that species or group of species, and then goes on to bust the myths. Shedd uses the expertise of various biologists and other experts, as well as his own experiences with wildlife, to prove his point. In addition, he discusses other aspects of the animal(s) in question: eating habits, mating and offspring, vocalizations, hibernation or dormancy, and, for several creatures (like coyotes or whitetail deer, for instance) the problems that arise when human populations run up against animal overpopulation. He discusses conservation issues, animal-versus-human clashes, and also gives some heartening details of successful conservation stories, as in the case of the whooping crane and the bison.
Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind is an interesting and informative book, and while it's not as entertaining an animal book as (say) one of Gerald Durrell's, it's still pretty readable. My only caveat to a reader would be to mention that all the animals in this book are American ones. No animals that are not found in North America are part of this book, so it is, in that sense, a bit restricted. If you're American (or Canadian), of course, this will help get you better acquainted with the animals around you. If you don't live in North America (I am one of these people), it can be a little deflating to not have any of the creatures you might know being discussed.
Warner Shedd's book examines all these myths, in the course of several chapters, each of them devoted to one species, or in some cases, several related species. Each chapter begins with a list of the common myths related to that species or group of species, and then goes on to bust the myths. Shedd uses the expertise of various biologists and other experts, as well as his own experiences with wildlife, to prove his point. In addition, he discusses other aspects of the animal(s) in question: eating habits, mating and offspring, vocalizations, hibernation or dormancy, and, for several creatures (like coyotes or whitetail deer, for instance) the problems that arise when human populations run up against animal overpopulation. He discusses conservation issues, animal-versus-human clashes, and also gives some heartening details of successful conservation stories, as in the case of the whooping crane and the bison.
Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind is an interesting and informative book, and while it's not as entertaining an animal book as (say) one of Gerald Durrell's, it's still pretty readable. My only caveat to a reader would be to mention that all the animals in this book are American ones. No animals that are not found in North America are part of this book, so it is, in that sense, a bit restricted. If you're American (or Canadian), of course, this will help get you better acquainted with the animals around you. If you don't live in North America (I am one of these people), it can be a little deflating to not have any of the creatures you might know being discussed.
February 11, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I learned much about animals while reading about the myths, their origin, and further information about the animals. I can't say I had heard all of the myths, or that I believed many of them (there were some I must admit I thought were true, though). I enjoyed the stories the author tells about his and others' experiences, and the facts that refute the myths. It really is a shame that some of those myths are so ingrained and, at times, so dangerous.
Also, I am an animal lover (I am a vegetarian), but a practical animal lover. I don't believe in preserving all animal life at the cost of human life (not counting the stupid interactions, some caused by the myths so universally believed), or animal quality of life. It really is a shame that some animal lovers want to save all animals, even when it means suffering and death because of starvation, or other causes. I've seen that in action, and it is deplorable! If we've upset the balance (taken away predators, habitat...) in the wild, we need to manage it so that balance is returned. Allow controlled hunting, preserve habitat, etc. Starving is a horrible way to die as exhibited by the whitetail deer overpopulation that has happened right here in my own back yard. I just don't want to be a part of the management. I am just glad others are willing to perform that service.
A really interesting book!
Also, I am an animal lover (I am a vegetarian), but a practical animal lover. I don't believe in preserving all animal life at the cost of human life (not counting the stupid interactions, some caused by the myths so universally believed), or animal quality of life. It really is a shame that some animal lovers want to save all animals, even when it means suffering and death because of starvation, or other causes. I've seen that in action, and it is deplorable! If we've upset the balance (taken away predators, habitat...) in the wild, we need to manage it so that balance is returned. Allow controlled hunting, preserve habitat, etc. Starving is a horrible way to die as exhibited by the whitetail deer overpopulation that has happened right here in my own back yard. I just don't want to be a part of the management. I am just glad others are willing to perform that service.
A really interesting book!
October 25, 2024
3.5 A bit outdated at this point, some facts have certainly changed (as science does) but overall a fun, easy read with lots of cool facts about animals. I could have done with one less "and then we killed it/my dog killed it/my cat killed it" anecdotes in a wildlife book, but that's more a sign of changing times than anything. Structuring it around myths helped make it an easy read and kept it on target, but some of the myths I'd never even heard a whisper of and I work in this field. So some were true myths, and I think some were just bullet points to create the structure.
June 18, 2017
A fascinating book about many North American mammals! Warner Shedd is a wildlife biologist and was associated with the National Wildlife Federation. He has a realistic outlook about wildlife, as well as, the wildlife/people mix. I learned so much about animals large and small, and I learned about myths that follow these creatures...which are just that...myths. If you can find it, read it. I guarantee that you will enjoy it!
July 16, 2018
This is a non fiction, easy to read reference book about all kinds of mammals that can be found in North America. It is one of those books that I read a chapter at a time, here and there, when I didn't have another book to read. If you have any interest in animals, or a few in particular, this is a very good, easy to read explanation of many species and breeds. Lots of myth-breaking, anecdotes and true stories. Great for wildlife lovers. Not a story book!
January 3, 2023
Okay, I know it's another animal book. Sue me! Anyway, it was definitely a good read and here's why:
1. It was full of information on animals that I loved learning! It also covered a wide array of animals with detail, which I appreciated a lot.
2. I also loved that each myth was pointed out and disproven specifically. The author always explained each myth and why it was false with accurate information.
3. Third, I loved how it was an easy read because each animal had a small section for itself. It allowed me to fly by the pages and enjoy the book the whole way through.
1. It was full of information on animals that I loved learning! It also covered a wide array of animals with detail, which I appreciated a lot.
2. I also loved that each myth was pointed out and disproven specifically. The author always explained each myth and why it was false with accurate information.
3. Third, I loved how it was an easy read because each animal had a small section for itself. It allowed me to fly by the pages and enjoy the book the whole way through.
May 13, 2018
Fun to read book. Gives a great overview of wildlife one one find in the lower 48 states of the US. The author provides a great deal of detail about many common species and debunks many myths relating to them.
April 13, 2020
Unfortunately, loss and fragmentation of habitat is a repeated theme. Twenty year after publication little has changed. There had been a road kill in southern Connecticut of a mountain lion. See “Heart of a Lion” by William Stulzenburg
August 6, 2020
I learned some new myths that I had never heard of before. Most of this was review but I did appreciate the review and all the sizes of the animals. It was nice to compare all the different animals in their species. That was very helpful.
October 15, 2019
Fascinating!
November 19, 2021
An entertaining and informative read about the natural history truths about many familiar North American creatures.
January 17, 2024
Wordy, but filled with interesting facts and anecdotes.
October 9, 2024
Delightful little book, written with wit and fun. Very informative without becoming dry or preachy.
June 4, 2010
This was fun. Learned some cool new facts. I felt like sometimes they were cheating a little. For example, one of the debunked myths is that opossums play dead. They do essentially appear to be dead for a would be predator. However, the author notes that they are not "playing" dead, in that it is not a conscious action and not an active attempt at deception. So okay, he's right, but that's not the main point of the common use of the "myth." It's more just getting nit-picky with the language, which is understandable for a scientist, but I was looking more for ideas that were just totally and completely false. Also, many of the myths were things I personally had never heard. An example of a good one that I've heard a lot is that owl's only make hooting sounds, when in fact they have a wide range of vocalizations.
BTW, for some shameless self-promotion, if you like reading about animals, check out my blog on wildlife at http://backyardzoologist.wordpress.com/
BTW, for some shameless self-promotion, if you like reading about animals, check out my blog on wildlife at http://backyardzoologist.wordpress.com/
August 10, 2010
A very readable introduction to a wide variety of U.S. wildlife. The details about the various animals' life cycles, diets, activities, environment, and so forth was interesting, and Shedd also talks about things we *don't* know about particular animals.
My only complaint about this book is that there are parts where Shedd conflates "common sight in New England" with "common sight in the U.S." I've never seen a beaver's dam that I can recall, for example, because I've never lived in the northern U.S., so when Shedd talks about how you see them everywhere, I think "huh? I've seen more non-roadkilled armadillos than I've seen beaver dams!" In spite of this, I've learned a lot about some animals that I do see regularly, like opossums and deer, and this book is definitely worth reading.
My only complaint about this book is that there are parts where Shedd conflates "common sight in New England" with "common sight in the U.S." I've never seen a beaver's dam that I can recall, for example, because I've never lived in the northern U.S., so when Shedd talks about how you see them everywhere, I think "huh? I've seen more non-roadkilled armadillos than I've seen beaver dams!" In spite of this, I've learned a lot about some animals that I do see regularly, like opossums and deer, and this book is definitely worth reading.
October 2, 2019
Robust fact & trivia
Perhaps too much trivia...interesting read though with personal stories throughout. Lovely illustrations. Surprised to find how many myths are readily accepted as fact. I think perhaps though this book may have been published before the Eastern coyote status of extinction was removed. The idea that male animals might kill and eat their young as a way to ensure their own genetic line is preposterous. Lactating females do not go into heat until they cease lactation. Do the math...
Perhaps too much trivia...interesting read though with personal stories throughout. Lovely illustrations. Surprised to find how many myths are readily accepted as fact. I think perhaps though this book may have been published before the Eastern coyote status of extinction was removed. The idea that male animals might kill and eat their young as a way to ensure their own genetic line is preposterous. Lactating females do not go into heat until they cease lactation. Do the math...
June 19, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was both informative and entertaining. It took me a while to finish because I wanted to read a chapter or two and digest them and then come back to the book. Otherwise I thought the information was too overwhelming. I found the facts in this book interesting and the antidotes related by the author both informative and amusing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading material on wildlife and nature.
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