What feeding style do whitetails shift to when green forage is scarce in winter?
Answer
Relying more heavily on woody browse and acorns
The dietary flexibility of the whitetail deer is a cornerstone of its ecological success across North America. As herbivores, they can switch between browsing (consuming twigs, leaves, and buds) and grazing (eating grasses). When the growing season ends and green vegetation becomes scarce during the fall and winter months, their diet pivots significantly. They compensate for the lack of fresh growth by consuming more woody browse—twigs and stems—and utilizing stored energy sources like acorns that persist into the colder season, alongside any dried vegetation they can still find.
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