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Q:
Do deers eat small birds and small animal ?

Question by Augusto C Delgado. Uploaded on February 21, 2009

Answers (32)

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from rrmont wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Deer do not eat other animals, they are vegetarians.

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from tyrell wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no i think they eat grass, grain, and those types of things.

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from mdhager115 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

I dont think so buddy.

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from peter wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no way.

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from Mathews347 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no just stupid people

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from Del in KS wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Deer are browsers and strictly plant eaters.

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from gossy42 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

I once seen an article it was either Field and Stream or outdoor life that had pictures of whitetail robbing bird nest. It was an old article probably the early 90's Maybe someone else on the board remembers. It said when times get tough and they are deprived of protein the will eat bird eggs. (I dont know though)

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from TheEasternShore... wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

moron duuuuuuuuuuuu the revenge of the blood thirsty deer. hint hint we should all be scared.

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from gossy42 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Easter Shore I hope before you would name call you would do some research. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/news/press/ontape.htm

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from gossy42 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Augusto The is an National Georaphic article of red deer eating birds as well as sheep eating birds. They also mention cows seeking out and chewing on bones. They think this is from a calcium defincency(sp) Here is the link. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/08/0825_030825_carnivorousd...

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from sayerbefiddlin wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Its amazing that we can take a question that seems crazy and find articles that relate. Thank you everybody great work.

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from bowhunter123 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no deer are strictly vegetarians ... only grass and grain and even in the winter they will eat bark from trees ... and for all the people on here that make smart comments and calling names ... are you a biologist ???

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from Jim in Mo wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

No they don't. Don't look at a picture and put a thousand words into it. I also agree with gossy and bowhunter, don't call foolish names for a question, that's just not right.

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from jay wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

Deer primarily eat grasses and grains however I have watched documentaries of deer actually eating fish kill. It was explained that the deer had a protein deficiency. I would guess survival instinct kicks in and an animal will do whatever they can to survive.

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from Beekeeper wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

Herbivores will make use of any available protein source. This includes raiding bird nests. They don't have to be starving.

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from ETangler wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

Beekeeper is right, as a Forestry Tech, I've seen it be more of a protein defficiency rather than a calcium deff.

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from NMNHUNTER wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

48 hours ago I would have said no they do not eat meat. But last evening my Daughter and I saw something that changed my thinking. We where watching a doe and it's last year fawns at our bird feeder when a small bird flew down and landed by the doe the deer was courious and nosed/licked it three times than lost interest, one of the fawns then went to it , licked it once than picked it up and chomped it in half, chewed and swallowed,then picked up the rest and downed that to! I have hunted deer for over thirty years and watch them all the time and I couldnt believe it myself!! Maybe the mothers sent on the bird prompted the young to think it was ok to eat, I really do not know. N Minnesota the land of meat eating deer!!

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from libertyfirst wrote 3 years 3 weeks ago

This is a very interesting question. In my youth the farmers of this area would catch river run sucker fish and put them around fruit trees. I was a very young man and I never did know this reason for this activity, but all of the local farmers did it. Back to the question, I have seen deer feed on these decaying fish and on many occasions.

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from matouse3 wrote 2 years 51 weeks ago

There is documented scientific literature out there showing (video) of deer eating nestlings from bird nests. Small birds that nest in the same grasses the deer are browsing.

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from matouse3 wrote 2 years 51 weeks ago

Here's the article I was thinking of:
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1674/0003-0031(2000)144%5B0419%3AWTDOVP%5D2.0.CO%3B2?cookieSet=1&journalCode=amid

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from matouse3 wrote 2 years 51 weeks ago

That article also references several more articles about nestling predation, predation on birds caught in mist nets, and eating of fish.

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from NMNHUNTER wrote 2 years 49 weeks ago

Just a little addition here, I learned a few weeks later that the bird that was eaten by the deer was a Redpull and that it was probly sick from eating sunflower seeds that where on the ground to long, found several that had died. I hear that they get a type of food poisining fron that. That explains why it did not fly away.

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from dakota.b@comcast.net wrote 2 years 47 weeks ago

mostly all the birds are plant eaters

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from debins33 wrote 2 years 47 weeks ago

Most deers are vegetarians but some will eat bird eggs and sometimes birds.

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from IanS wrote 2 years 42 weeks ago

no

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from SURVIVALBOY wrote 2 years 34 weeks ago

Deer are herbavores. But they may accidently eat some bugs, but it doesn't get digested.

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from hunterboy wrote 2 years 32 weeks ago

i dont think so

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from username wrote 2 years 13 weeks ago

deer do eat birds ebcause of their nutrients in their bodys

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from username wrote 2 years 13 weeks ago

deer do eat birds ebcause of their nutrients in their bodys

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from rudyglove27 wrote 2 years 6 weeks ago

Agreed with Beekeeper answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!

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from Haydeen wrote 2 years 5 weeks ago

no deer dont eat other animals.

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from caleb schultz wrote 2 years 1 week ago

deer are herbavores and if they were to eat another animal they’d have to be pretty hungry!lol

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from LukaTisus wrote 1 year 20 weeks ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQOQdBLHrLk&feature=related Here ya go, guys.

Deer WILL eat small animals and birds when there is no access to mineral or salt deposits. Notorious most for this, are bucks in the process of developing antlers in spring/summer.

An island in Scotland, Rum, has a population of red deer that will kill and eat the bones out of seabird chicks. Seriously, look it up.

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from latinoalex5 wrote 49 weeks 6 days ago

this says yes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQOQdBLHrLk

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from gossy42 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Easter Shore I hope before you would name call you would do some research. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/news/press/ontape.htm

+4 Good Comment? | | Report
from gossy42 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Augusto The is an National Georaphic article of red deer eating birds as well as sheep eating birds. They also mention cows seeking out and chewing on bones. They think this is from a calcium defincency(sp) Here is the link. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/08/0825_030825_carnivorousd...

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from sayerbefiddlin wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Its amazing that we can take a question that seems crazy and find articles that relate. Thank you everybody great work.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from jay wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

Deer primarily eat grasses and grains however I have watched documentaries of deer actually eating fish kill. It was explained that the deer had a protein deficiency. I would guess survival instinct kicks in and an animal will do whatever they can to survive.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from debins33 wrote 2 years 47 weeks ago

Most deers are vegetarians but some will eat bird eggs and sometimes birds.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from SURVIVALBOY wrote 2 years 34 weeks ago

Deer are herbavores. But they may accidently eat some bugs, but it doesn't get digested.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from tyrell wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no i think they eat grass, grain, and those types of things.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from gossy42 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

I once seen an article it was either Field and Stream or outdoor life that had pictures of whitetail robbing bird nest. It was an old article probably the early 90's Maybe someone else on the board remembers. It said when times get tough and they are deprived of protein the will eat bird eggs. (I dont know though)

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from bowhunter123 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no deer are strictly vegetarians ... only grass and grain and even in the winter they will eat bark from trees ... and for all the people on here that make smart comments and calling names ... are you a biologist ???

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Beekeeper wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

Herbivores will make use of any available protein source. This includes raiding bird nests. They don't have to be starving.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from ETangler wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

Beekeeper is right, as a Forestry Tech, I've seen it be more of a protein defficiency rather than a calcium deff.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from NMNHUNTER wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

48 hours ago I would have said no they do not eat meat. But last evening my Daughter and I saw something that changed my thinking. We where watching a doe and it's last year fawns at our bird feeder when a small bird flew down and landed by the doe the deer was courious and nosed/licked it three times than lost interest, one of the fawns then went to it , licked it once than picked it up and chomped it in half, chewed and swallowed,then picked up the rest and downed that to! I have hunted deer for over thirty years and watch them all the time and I couldnt believe it myself!! Maybe the mothers sent on the bird prompted the young to think it was ok to eat, I really do not know. N Minnesota the land of meat eating deer!!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from libertyfirst wrote 3 years 3 weeks ago

This is a very interesting question. In my youth the farmers of this area would catch river run sucker fish and put them around fruit trees. I was a very young man and I never did know this reason for this activity, but all of the local farmers did it. Back to the question, I have seen deer feed on these decaying fish and on many occasions.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from matouse3 wrote 2 years 51 weeks ago

There is documented scientific literature out there showing (video) of deer eating nestlings from bird nests. Small birds that nest in the same grasses the deer are browsing.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from matouse3 wrote 2 years 51 weeks ago

Here's the article I was thinking of:
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1674/0003-0031(2000)144%5B0419%3AWTDOVP%5D2.0.CO%3B2?cookieSet=1&journalCode=amid

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from matouse3 wrote 2 years 51 weeks ago

That article also references several more articles about nestling predation, predation on birds caught in mist nets, and eating of fish.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from NMNHUNTER wrote 2 years 49 weeks ago

Just a little addition here, I learned a few weeks later that the bird that was eaten by the deer was a Redpull and that it was probly sick from eating sunflower seeds that where on the ground to long, found several that had died. I hear that they get a type of food poisining fron that. That explains why it did not fly away.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from dakota.b@comcast.net wrote 2 years 47 weeks ago

mostly all the birds are plant eaters

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from IanS wrote 2 years 42 weeks ago

no

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from hunterboy wrote 2 years 32 weeks ago

i dont think so

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from username wrote 2 years 13 weeks ago

deer do eat birds ebcause of their nutrients in their bodys

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from rudyglove27 wrote 2 years 6 weeks ago

Agreed with Beekeeper answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from rrmont wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Deer do not eat other animals, they are vegetarians.

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from peter wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no way.

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from Del in KS wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

Deer are browsers and strictly plant eaters.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jim in Mo wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

No they don't. Don't look at a picture and put a thousand words into it. I also agree with gossy and bowhunter, don't call foolish names for a question, that's just not right.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from username wrote 2 years 13 weeks ago

deer do eat birds ebcause of their nutrients in their bodys

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Haydeen wrote 2 years 5 weeks ago

no deer dont eat other animals.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from caleb schultz wrote 2 years 1 week ago

deer are herbavores and if they were to eat another animal they’d have to be pretty hungry!lol

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from LukaTisus wrote 1 year 20 weeks ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQOQdBLHrLk&feature=related Here ya go, guys.

Deer WILL eat small animals and birds when there is no access to mineral or salt deposits. Notorious most for this, are bucks in the process of developing antlers in spring/summer.

An island in Scotland, Rum, has a population of red deer that will kill and eat the bones out of seabird chicks. Seriously, look it up.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from latinoalex5 wrote 49 weeks 6 days ago

this says yes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQOQdBLHrLk

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from mdhager115 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

I dont think so buddy.

-1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Mathews347 wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

no just stupid people

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from TheEasternShore... wrote 3 years 13 weeks ago

moron duuuuuuuuuuuu the revenge of the blood thirsty deer. hint hint we should all be scared.

-5 Good Comment? | | Report

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bmxbiz-fs