Roe Deer

The Roe Deer is a small deer which has a white to buff patch on their rump, a black nose and “moustache” and a white chin. Their coat varies from sandy to reddish-brown in the summer to grey-brown or even black in winter. The antlers, which have no more than three points and are less than 25cm in length, grow in winter and are shed in the autumn.

Roe Deer are found throughout Europe, but they are absent from Ireland, much of Portugal, Greece and large parts of England and Wales. Roe Deer became extinct in most of England during the 18th century but they were reintroduced in the 19th century.

Roe Deer live mainly in woodland where there are open patches of ground and access to the edges of fields and they feed on grasses and the leaves of young broad-leaved trees and bushes.

Both male and female Roe Deer are usually solitary and highly territorial with clearly defined boundaries which they scent mark. They have a very good senses of smell, hearing and vision. When alarmed, they make a characteristic barking noise.

Roe Deer mate in July and August and their fawns are born in the following spring. Many fawns die during their first year due to heavy predation by foxes.

Date: 6th November 2007

Location: Saligo to Gruinart, Islay, Argyll