Birth-Site Selection by White-Tailed Deer in an Area with Low Risk of Predation

Abstract

Risk associated with predation influences habitat selection in Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer). In the absence of predation risk, selection pressure for predator avoidance behaviors are relaxed, but behavioral traits associated with predator avoidance often persist. Our study area lacks populations of typical predators of White-tailed Deer, and our objective was to investigate birth-site selection by parturient White-tailed Deer in the absence of predation risk. We paired observed birth-sites (n = 31) with random sites and compared the vegetation characteristics using univariate paired analyses. Females selected birth-sites with 10% more vegetation density up to 1 m in comparison to random sites (P = 0.02). Parturient females have retained some degree of selection towards predator avoidance behavior despite the absence of non-human predator communities in the study area.