Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that low‐ranking red deer Cervus elaphus stags adjust feeding tactics according to the spatio‐temporal availability of the food. We observed free‐ranging red deer at two supplementary feeding sites in the Scottish Highlands. It was predicted that at spatially clumped food, low‐ranking stags would avoid high‐ranking stags, 1. spatially when food is available only for a short period, but 2. temporally when the food is available continuously.We observed several feeding tactics in low‐ranking stags and the prevalence of a feeding tactic was related to the spatial distribution of the food. When food was highly clumped some low‐ranking stags rushed in between feeding high‐ranking stags, took a bite and retreated to process the bite (sneaking tactic). Bite rate/min did not differ between sneaking (0.29 ± 0.05) and non‐sneaking low‐ranking stags (0.26 ± 0.05). Compared with non‐sneaking low‐ranking herd members, sneaking stags took larger bites, as reflected in a significantly longer handling time (125 ± 12.4 s/bite) and thus achieved a higher intake, although still considerably less than high‐ranking stags.The temporal availability of the food did not influence feeding tactics in low‐ranking stags. Low‐ranking stags always avoided higher‐ranking herd members spatially but did not shift their feeding bouts to times of the day when high‐ranking stags were not feeding.
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