Species of the Month

The roe deer is a small to medium sized deer with a slender, short, compact body with adults being about 1.2 metres long and 75cm high at the shoulders and weighing in at 10 – 35 Kg. It has a short neck and a relatively small head with large ears and large, black eyes, nose and mouth which is surrounded by white areas. The males have antlers with up to three points and they are ‘pearled’ or ‘bearded’ which means they have a rough texture with nodules. These are shed at the end of the autumn and regrow immediately, so they are fully formed again by March.   

In the summer they have bright red-brown fur, while in the winter they are a duller shade of brown. Their undersides are lighter in colour and there is a distinct white rump. Neither male nor female have a tail, although the female has a small ‘tush’ or tuft at the base of their rump in the winter. This white rump is often the most common sighting as the deer bounds away, maybe clearing 10m in a single leap at speeds of over 30mph.  

Roe deer are dainty animals and leave small hoof prints (slots) in the ground about 4cm long. They often use the same paths along which you might spot their ‘rabbit like’ faeces which could be scattered or in groups. 

Other signs to spot they are around might be circular scrapes on the woodland floor where leaves have been cleared to make a resting patch. Long scratches at the base of trees caused by bucks scraping them with their hooves to mark territories are another sign, as are ‘roe rings’, caused by rutting pairs as they chase around the trees. They also urinate to mark their territory.  

Roe deer are crepuscular, which means they emerge to feed mainly at dawn and dusk. 

They are browsers rather than grazers and have a hard pad at the top of their mouth rather than incisors, which helps them to tear the vegetation.  

They will eat a wide variety of plants, including leaves and buds from trees such as rowan and willow, a variety of grasses and herbs, ferns, heathers, brambles and ivy as well as fruit, berries, nuts, seeds and garden plants such as flowers, bushes and trees. They will also eat hedgerow plants and cereals.   

Roe deer are generally shy and solitary animals but may form small family groups in the winter. During the day they spend long periods lying down to ruminate their food.  

When agitated, a roe deer may well stamp a foot or make a dog-like bark. This sound is also used by males (bucks) to aggressively challenge rivals during the rut.  During the breeding season does attract bucks with a high-pitched piping call. Bucks respond with a rasping noise during courtship. 

In May the bucks establish their territories by marking trees and scent-marking. Their rut occurs earlier than most other deer, from mid-July. After aggressively fighting off its rivals, when a buck detects a fertile female (doe) he will follow her around until she is ready to mate. This is what leads to the ‘roe rings’ in the ground. 

Following mating, the fertilised egg doesn’t implant immediately. This delayed implantation means that the egg doesn’t implant until January, so the young are born in late spring to avoid the cold winter months. 

A doe will typically give birth to two or three fawns. They are born with spotted coats for camouflage, protecting them from predators. For the first few months the kids are left hiding in long grass and the doe only visits them for short periods to suckle. 

Young roe deer make a high-pitched whistle to attract their mothers when they become lost. They accompany the doe for a time before setting off to find their own territory.  

• Their Latin name translates to ‘little goat’ and ‘roe’ means ‘red-haired’.  
• Roe deer live for about seven to ten years. 
• The roe deer is one of the truly native species of deer in the British Isles, having been around since the Mesolithic period (6,000 to 10,000 years BC). Hunting and loss of habitat led to a massive decline in numbers. 
• The Normans also introduced fallow deer to Britain and within a few centuries their numbers were more abundant. The roe deer had their forest law protections removed because it was thought they chased the fallow deer away. So, by the 19th Century they had nearly disappeared from most of the UK apart from Scotland. 
• In 1800 Lord Dorchester reintroduced Scottish roe into Dorset, and in 1880 there were introductions from Europe, and so along with an increase in woodland planting in the 20th Century their abundance increased. Their conservation status is now of ‘least concern’. 
• While any species recovery is welcome, the absence of the large carnivores such as wolves, bears and lynx has meant they have no natural predators. Deer numbers have therefore increased to very high levels which can have a negative impact on the environment. Overgrazing can prevent the regeneration of woodland which affects woodland structure and composition as it affects other species of woodland flora and fauna. They can also damage crops, orchards and forestry, and although foxes predate roe fawn, this is not enough to control numbers sufficiently. This is why deer numbers have to be culled to keep their population numbers in balance with the environment.  

The roe deer is native to the UK and is widespread across woodlands, farmland, grassland and heathland throughout mainland Britain, although they are not found in Ireland. They are often seen at the edge of woodlands and forests, although they will venture out into open farmland to feed.  

They are increasingly seen in urban spaces such as cemeteries and golf courses if there is enough cover to hide in and not too much human disturbance.  

If you are lucky enough to have deer visit your garden, you might notice they like the same shrubs as you! Camellia and roses are a popular snack, but there are lots of plants that deer avoid.  Also, as deer are shy and nervous creatures, it might be an idea to plant more ‘desirable’ plants nearer the house.  They are also curious when new plants appear, so it is wise to temporarily protect these with deer proof mesh.