White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginanus

Range

• North America and northernmost parts of Central America

Habitat

• Forests

Diet

• Leaves
• Twigs
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Grass

Their namesake tails serve to signal other deer. A lifted tail is a danger warning.

After declining rapidly in the 1800’s due to over-hunting, White-tailed deer are now a familiar sight thanks to conservation-minded laws. As an adaptation for avoiding predators, the graze quickly, they regurgitate a cud to chew at leisure in a safer environment. Fawns are born with white spots that disappear within the first year.