They are generally more timid than red deer. The bucks have a palm type antler, which is shed and regrown annually. There is a wide range in colours. Intermediate colour variations also occur. Antlers are round in cross section and have several tines or branches.
Red deer have a reddish brown summer coat, which changes to a drab brown in winter.
Many farming activities are affected by this seasonality. The rut or mating season for red and fallow deer starts in April and can continue up to August. Pregnancy lasts for about 9 months or 230 to 234 days in both species, so most breeding females produce offspring in December. If the herd is well managed, most calves or fawns are born between late November and mid-December. The calves or fawns are normally weaned at about 3 months, before the start of the next rut.