White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

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O. virginianus are medium-sized deer with a reddish-brown coat in the summer that transitions to a grayish-brown in the winter. A key identifying feature is the white und…

How to identify

O. virginianus are medium-sized deer with a reddish-brown coat in the summer that transitions to a grayish-brown in the winter. A key identifying feature is the white underside of their tail, which is prominently displayed when they flee, hence their name. Males grow branched antlers that are shed and regrown annually. The size and configuration of antlers vary with age, nutrition, and genetics. Females do not have antlers. Young fawns are reddish-brown with white spots, providing camouflage.

Range

O. virginianus, the white-tailed deer, boasts the widest distribution of any North American ungulate. Their range extends from southern Canada throughout the United States (excluding much of the far Southwest) and south through Mexico, Central America, and into northern South America.

Habitat

Odocoileus virginianus are highly adaptable and inhabit a wide variety of habitats, including forests (deciduous, coniferous, and mixed), grasslands, brushlands, swamps, and even suburban and agricultural areas. They prefer areas with dense cover for protection and a variety of browse and herbaceous vegetation for food.

Similar species

Mule deer (O. hemionus) share parts of their range in western North America but have larger ears, a black-tipped tail, and characteristically "forked" antlers. Elk are significantly larger and have a more uniform brown coat and larger, branching antlers in males. In areas where their ranges overlap with moose, moose are much larger with palmate antlers in males and a distinctive snout.