Red Deer – Cervus elaphus
Hind groups consist of a dominant hind, her dependent offspring, and her mature daughters with their offspring, all sharing over-lapping ranges. In contrast, stag groups are less stable and comprise unrelated individuals. Group-size of red deer occupying woodland habitats tends to be smaller than those of the open hill.
Following the rut, stags and hinds typically segregate again. Calves (usually one, very rarely twins) produced as a consequence of the autumn matings are born from mid-May, with a peak of births in the 1st or 2nd week of June. Calves are usually weaned by 8 months old, by which time they have moulted out of their spotted natal coat.
Hybridisation with introduced sika deer Cervus nippon is thought to pose a significant threat to the genetic integrity of native red deer. In the southern Lake District and Wicklow Mountains, populations are now composed almost entirely of red-sika hybrids. It has been suggested that in time, pure red deer may only survive on some of the Scottish islands.
Our largest deer species. Red/brown coat with no spots on adults. Rump cream coloured. Nearly always seen moving together in herds. Antlers of adult males large and usually branched. Young reds start with small, pointed unbranched antlers.
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Footprints: Red deer have the largest footprints of all deer species (width 7cm, length 9cm). However, footprints can be confused with other deer species as well as goat and sheep prints. Red deer can also leave hairs on fences.
Droppings: Deer droppings do not have obvious coloration or smell. The droppings tend to be a similar shape across all species, although red deer droppings are the largest of all species.
Tail: The best way to determine which deer species you have seen is by looking at the rump and tail. The red deer has a buff rump, with a ginger buff tail.
Fallow deer (Dama dama)
Heart-shaped white rump with black horseshoe-shaped border and black, comparatively long, tail (giving the appearance of the number 111).Typical fallow coat has distinctive spots all year round (although fallow coat can vary greatly), compared to red which has no spots. Mature male fallow has large palmate antlers (broad and flattened). Red has large branched antlers that are not palmate. Red deer is larger than the fallow.
Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
Red is a much larger species than Roe. Plain cream/white rump, can be flared when alarmed. No visible tail. Red deer has buff coloured rump with a ginger buff tail. Small branched antlers in mature male roe, typically no more than 3 points. Red has large branched antlers with many branches. Roe has distinctive black nose and white chin.
Sika deer (Cervus nippon)
Heart-shaped white rump with black upper border. White tail with vertical black streak. Red deer has buff coloured rump with a ginger buff tail.Distinctive spots on sika coat in summer, which red deer do not have. Red has a more reddish coat and is a larger species than the sika.