Columbian White-tailed Deer – State Wildlife Action Plan

Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Columbian white-tailed deer is the smallest member of the cervidae family in Oregon. The most distinguishing feature of this deer is its long, wide tail , brown on top with a white underside, that can easily be seen when the deer is startled. In males, antlers with tines typically arise from a single main beam. In winter, the pelage is a dark buffy-gray and consists of relatively long, thick, and somewhat brittle hairs; in summer, the pelage is lighter with more tawny tones and is shorter and thinner. Pelage markings include white on the abdomen, throat, muzzle, and lower lip, a black spot on the lower lip, and a grayish-white eye ring.

Overview

Species Common Name Columbian White-tailed Deer
Species Scientific Name Odocoileus virginianus leucurus
Federal Listing Status Threatened (Columbia River DPS)
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon's Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Special needs

The Columbia River DPS of Columbian white-tailed deer is strongly associated with island and riparian habitats along the lower Columbia River.

Limiting factors

Though historically more abundant in the Willamette Valley, the Columbia River DPS is being managed primarily on island refuges in the lower Columbia River and in bottomlands along the Oregon and Washington shores of the lower river. Fluctuations in numbers seem to be driven primarily by carrying capacity of remaining habitat in these refuges. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to agricultural use and residential development and flooding impacts on island-dwelling and low-elevation mainland deer have contributed to declines of the Columbia River DPS.

Data gaps

• Investigate predator-prey interactions.
• Assess impacts of agricultural land use on habitat.
• Assess susceptibility to and population level impacts from disease (e.g., deer hair loss, AHD, EHD).

Conservation actions

• Continue to implement conservation actions identified in the Columbian white-tailed deer recovery plan.

Key reference or plan

USFWS. 2013. Columbia River Distinct Population Segment of the Columbian White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus). Five-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. USFWS Washington Fish and Wildlife Office. Lacey, Washington. 50pp

USFWS Columbian White Tailed Deer Profile. Read here

Columbian White-tailed Deer Recovery Plan. Read here