Mysterud, A. 1996: Bed-site selection by adult roe deer Capreolus capreolus in southern Norway during summer. - Wildl. Biol. 2: 101-106.

Bed-sites of radio-collared adult roe deer Capreolus capreolus were identified during summer 1994 in the Lier valley, southern Norway. Site characteristics were measured at the bed-site and at a randomly chosen site 50 m away. Roe deer preferred to bed down below dense canopy cover, but showed no preference for bedding close to tree trunks. The availability of herbs was higher at bed-sites than at random sites, and higher at bed-sites used by females than at bed-sites used by males. On warm days the abundance of herbs at bed-sites was lower than on cold days, indicating movement away from feeding sites. During warm days roe deer selected bed-sites with humid substrates, probably to increase heat loss by conduction. Bed-sites were well concealed.

Key words: bed-site selection, Capreolus capreolus, cover, habitat, roe deer, substrate, temperature, thermal strategies

Atle Mysterud, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1050 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway

Received 12 January 1996, accepted 5 August 1996

Associate Editor: Jean-Michel Gaillard