Odocoileus virginianus

They are crepuscular herbivores, most active at dawn and dusk, and forage on leaves, twigs, fruits, and nuts. White-tailed deer form matriarchal family groups called “does” with their fawns, while adult bucks often live solitarily outside the breeding season.

Rut occurs in autumn, when bucks compete via antler displays and sparring to mate with receptive does. After a gestation of about 200 days, does typically give birth to one or two spotted fawns in late spring, which remain hidden and nurse until they can follow the mother.

Adults stand about 0.8–1 m (2.6–3.3 ft) at the shoulder and weigh 45–68 kg (100–150 lb), with bucks sporting branching antlers renewed annually. They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell, using their white tail flag to signal danger.

Once widespread across much of North America, populations declined in the 19th and early 20th centuries due to overhunting and habitat loss. Conservation measures and regulated hunting helped them rebound, making them one of the continent’s most familiar wild ungulates.

Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, white-tailed deer are abundant, even extending into suburban and agricultural areas. However, localized overpopulation can lead to ecological imbalance and increased vehicle collisions, prompting active wildlife management.