From Antlers to Migration: How Reindeer and Whitetail Deer Differ

While someone who doesn’t know anything about animals might confuse them, reindeer and deer are two different animals. Though they belong to the same family, confusingly called ‘deer,’ it includes many different subspecies and groups. In this article, we’ll cover the main differences between reindeer (or caribou) and whitetail deer and explain to you what makes each unique.

Comparing Whitetail Deer and Reindeer

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Classification

Reindeer and whitetail deer belong to the same family of animals called Cervidae. It includes all major species of deer, dividing them into two principal groups. First, the Cervinae, which includes muntjacs, red deer, elks, and fallow deer. The Capreolinae includes caribou deer (reindeer), whitetail deer, roe deer, and moose. 

As such, they are two different species within the same subfamily: whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Caribou comes from the Miꞌkmaq language of the Northern peoples of Canada and means snow shoveler. There are 14 subspecies of Rangifer tarandus and 26 different subspecies of Odocoileus virginianus.

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Origin

Whitetail deer are native to the Americas. They are found in all of North, Central, and South America as far down as Peru. Odocoileus virginianus coexists with similar subspecies in Canada, Mexico, and Central America.

Reindeer are found in the northernmost parts of the world, in both North America and Eurasia. They inhabit tundras and deep forests, preferring far colder climates than their Whitetail cousins. These hardy animals dominate the landscape of northern Canada and Siberia and have a strong presence in the countries of Scandinavia.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has ruled that reindeer is the name of the European subspecies of Rangifer, while caribou applies to the North American subspecies.

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Fur

Due to the habitats and conditions reindeer must endure, they have much denser and stronger fur than their whitetail counterparts. Reindeer fur is so dense that it is capable of withstanding up to minus 50° C! They also have hollow guard hairs that help insulate them from frigid air. The color of their fur changes based on their habitat and the season, while reindeer that live farthest north have the lightest colored fur.

Whitetail deer, on the other hand, have much lighter fur, as they haven’t evolved to withstand the freezing temperatures of the Arctic. Their color is significantly lighter and remains mostly constant throughout the year, although some seasonal changes have been observed in a small group of deer.

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Food

Reindeer and whitetail deer have similar diets. They feed on grass, mushrooms, and leaves, but reindeer have developed different adaptations. One of these is the presence of enzymes in their digestive system that allows them to convert lichen, or reindeer moss, directly into glucose. 

While whitetail deer also eat lichen, they don’t have such an adaptation, and reindeer are far more efficient when it comes to digesting one of the only foods they have during winter. It’s worth noting that deer in general have unusually unspecialized digestive systems. This allows them to feed on pretty much anything. Whitetail deer, for example, consume small twigs and leaves, while reindeer have been known to eat bird eggs and even fish when necessary.

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Antlers

Reindeer have more prominent and denser antlers than whitetail deer. However, the critical difference is in sexual dimorphism. Female reindeer have antlers, while female whitetail deer don’t.

Both whitetail deer and reindeer shed their antlers annually. While male whitetail deer use their antlers exclusively for social status and attracting mates, reindeer of both sexes use their antlers to forage, as well as for status and protection.

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Hooves

Reindeer have adapted to the extreme cold and so have their hooves. Caribou hooves change with the season, becoming more padded and softer in the summer for stepping on grass and twigs, while they become much harder during the winter. This adaptation allows them to better traverse their seasonal migrations without getting injured. No such changes have been noted in whitetail deer.

Reindeer vs. Whitetail Deer: Migration

One of the most significant differences between them is that whitetail deer are famously known for having a small home range of a few miles, while reindeer are among the animals that migrate the most. Some caribou cover up to 3,000 miles yearly. During winter, they go south and spend the cold days cuddled among thick boreal forests. In the summer, they graze the northern plains. They migrate in herds of hundreds of thousands of individual reindeer that are led by females. European reindeer migrate much shorter distances, They can cover up to 20 miles a day, even while being calves. Conversely, whitetail deer don’t migrate at all, instead remaining in an area for the span of their lives.