Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are small, graceful deer native to Eurasia, widespread from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia and eastward into Asia. They adapt well to various environments, including colder climates.
Defining Features
European roebucks stand 60 to 75 centimeters (24 to 30 inches) at the shoulder. Their body weight ranges from 10 to 25 kilograms (22 to 55 pounds), rarely exceeding 30 kilograms (66 pounds). This compact size allows them to navigate dense vegetation efficiently.
Their coat color undergoes seasonal change, providing camouflage. In summer, their fur is reddish-brown, short, sleek, and thin for thermoregulation. In autumn, a thicker, denser grey-brown winter coat replaces it. Its hollow hairs trap air, providing insulation. They have a pale buff or white rump patch, a black nose, and sometimes white facial markings.
Only male roebucks grow short, erect antlers, featuring three points or tines per side. These antlers have ridges and an enlarged base, known as the coronet, which can become thick and nearly fused in older bucks. Antlers shed around November, with new growth beginning in December. Initially, they are covered in “velvet,” a soft, vascular tissue supplying nutrients. The velvet sheds in spring, leaving hardened antlers ready for the breeding season.
Ecological Role and Lifestyle
Roebucks inhabit woodlands, but adapt to diverse environments including forest edges, heathland, copses, scrub, hedgerows, and agricultural fields. They can even be found in urban green spaces, provided there is sufficient cover and minimal disturbance. This flexibility in habitat selection contributes to their widespread distribution.
As herbivores, roe deer are selective browsers rather than grazers, preferring leaves and buds from trees and shrubs. Their diet also includes wildflowers, heather, ferns, young shoots, berries, and various arable crops. They forage frequently and are most active during dawn and dusk, a behavior known as crepuscular activity.
Roebucks are solitary during summer, but may form small, loose groups or unstable herds during winter, especially when food is scarce. Males are territorial, particularly during the breeding season, defending their home range against other bucks. When startled, roe deer may emit a dog-like bark and display their white rump patch as a warning signal.
The mating season, or rut, occurs in late July and August. Following mating, the fertilized egg undergoes delayed implantation, suspending its development for several months. This allows fawns (typically twins) to be born in May or June of the following year, when environmental conditions are more favorable. Fawns are born with spotted coats, providing camouflage as they remain hidden in dense vegetation during early weeks.