Roe Deer

They begin to grow their antlers in November, shedding the velvet from them in the spring. By Summer, they are ready for the rutting season. After mating, they shed their antlers in October and begin to grow a new set. Roe Deer live in areas of mixed countryside, with farmland, grassland, heath-land and woodland.

How to Identify

A slender, medium-sized deer with short antlers and no tail. Roe Deer are mostly brown in colour, turning reddish in the summer and darker grey in the winter. They have a paler, buff patch around the rump.

Where to Find

Found in Scotland and northern England. Scarce in Wales, the Midlands and southern England. Absent from Northern Ireland.

What People can do

Roe Deer are not considered to be rare in the UK, but the habitats that they favour are declining – our grasslands, field margins and woodlands are all under threat. Encouraging farmers and landowners to have a wildlife-friendly approach, The Wildlife Trusts are working towards a Living Landscape: a network of habitats and wildlife corridors across town and country, which are good for both wildlife and people. You can support this greener future by joining your local Wildlife Trust.

Did you know?

A male Roe Deer is called a Buck and the female is a Doe. Mating occurs in July and August, but females delay implantation of the fertilised egg until January of the following year, so that the young are not born during the harsh winter months. Two or three, white-spotted kids are born in May or June.