The Florida White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the state’s only native deer species. Its diet directly reflects Florida’s diverse, subtropical environment. These deer are adaptable herbivores, meaning their nutritional intake is highly variable based on geographical location and plant availability. Their feeding habits involve selectively browsing on high-quality, easily digestible vegetation rather than grazing on large fields of grass. The resulting diet is a complex mix of native flora that changes dramatically with the state’s distinct seasonal patterns.
The Ecological Baseline: Preferred Native Foods
White-tailed deer are classified as “concentrate selectors,” meaning they seek out small amounts of high-quality, nutrient-dense foods rather than consuming large volumes of low-quality forage. Their natural diet is divided into three categories: browse, forbs, and mast. Browse consists of the tender leaves, buds, and twigs of woody plants, such as the new growth of greenbrier (Smilax spp.) and honeysuckle, which provide year-round sustenance.
Forbs are herbaceous, broad-leafed plants, often referred to as “weeds.” They are the most preferred food due to their high digestibility and protein content. Examples include Florida tickseed (Coreopsis floridana) and various wildflowers that sprout after prescribed burns or rainfall. Mast includes fruits, berries, and nuts, which are rich sources of carbohydrates and fats. Deer seek out soft mast like beautyberries, wild grapes, and persimmons, as well as hard mast such as acorns from native oak species.
How Florida’s Seasons Change the Menu
Florida’s climate is defined by a warm, wet season and a cool, dry season, which dictates the deer’s menu more than the traditional four temperate seasons. The wet season, running from late spring through early fall, is a period of abundance characterized by rapid plant growth. During this time, deer consume large quantities of high-protein forbs and soft mast to meet the nutritional demands for antler growth in males and lactation in does.
The cool, dry season, from late fall through early spring, brings a decline in both the quantity and quality of available forage. As lush forbs die back, deer shift their diet to less palatable, lower-quality woody browse, such as the twigs and stems of shrubs. Hard mast, like acorns, becomes important in the fall and winter, as the high concentration of fat and carbohydrates helps the deer build fat reserves to survive the period of scarcity.
Foraging in Suburban and Agricultural Areas
As human development encroaches on natural habitat, the Florida White-tailed deer has become an opportunistic forager, readily incorporating cultivated plants into its diet. This “nuisance foraging” is noticeable in suburban and agricultural areas where preferred natural food sources have been displaced. Deer often target ornamental plants, seeking out tender, fertilized new growth that is high in protein.
Landscape plants, such as daylilies, roses, and certain varieties of azaleas, are frequently damaged by deer browsing. In agricultural settings, deer pose an economic threat by feeding on row crops like peanuts, cotton, soybeans, and watermelon, especially in the Panhandle region. Although citrus is less preferred due to its strong flavor, deer browse the leaves and new growth of young trees, and they may consume fallen fruit when other options are limited. Intentionally feeding deer human food is discouraged, as it habituates them to residential areas and can lead to overpopulation and nutritional deficiencies.