Privet refers to the common ornamental shrub belonging to the genus Ligustrum, which is often used for hedging and landscaping. Deer generally avoid consuming this plant, but this preference is not absolute. Privet is typically categorized as a low-preference food source, meaning deer will eat it only when specific environmental conditions or a lack of alternative forage drives them to it.
The Palatability of Privet to Deer
Deer usually bypass privet due to its chemical makeup and overall taste, which are considered unappealing compared to native vegetation. The leaves and stems of most Ligustrum species contain alkaloids, which are compounds that impart a mildly bitter or unpleasant flavor and can be slightly toxic to mammals. This natural defense mechanism is why the plant is often listed as “seldom severely damaged” by browsing animals, especially when better alternatives are available.
The relative resistance of privet is due to deer being selective foragers who prioritize tender, highly nutritious plants. While privet is not a preferred food, it can still offer some nutritional value, particularly certain varieties like Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense). Studies have indicated that the foliage and berries of this species can constitute a secondary browse option for white-tailed deer, with samples showing a crude protein content of around 12 percent in winter.
The plant is rarely consumed by choice, often serving as a dietary filler rather than a primary food source. Deer will generally ignore the dense, glossy, thick leaves and woody stems if they can find more palatable forbs, young trees, or vines. This reliance on taste and nutritional quality means that privet acts more like a biological fallback for deer in times of hardship.
Environmental Factors Driving Consumption
The primary reason deer begin to consume privet is a scarcity of their preferred natural food sources, which is heavily influenced by external factors. Browsing pressure on less palatable plants increases significantly during the late fall and winter months. When most deciduous plants drop their leaves or become dormant, privet’s persistent foliage becomes one of the few available green options for sustenance.
Local deer population density is another major factor that turns deer toward privet. In areas where the deer population is high, the competition for preferred forage forces the animals to expand their diet to include plants they would normally ignore.
Dry weather conditions can also temporarily increase the palatability of privet. During periods of drought, when other vegetation is dried out or stressed, deer may turn to privet for both food and moisture content.
Distinguishing Deer Browsing Damage
Observing the type of damage on the privet is the most reliable way to confirm that deer, and not smaller animals, are responsible for the consumption. Deer lack upper incisors, forcing them to feed by pressing vegetation between their lower teeth and a hard upper dental pad before tearing it away. This feeding method leaves the damaged stems and leaves with a characteristic ragged, torn, or rough appearance.
In contrast, small herbivores like rabbits have sharp incisors that result in a clean, precise, and angled cut on the stem. Deer browse can occur anywhere from one to six feet off the ground, targeting new growth and branch tips within their easy reach. Rabbit and vole damage, however, is typically concentrated low, often within a couple of feet of the soil line.
Physical evidence around the shrub can also help identify the culprit. Deer tracks are distinct, heart-shaped impressions, and their droppings are larger, oblong pellets, while rabbits leave behind small, round, scattered pellets.