Age‐sex differences in the diets of Sika deer on Kinkazan Island, northern Japan

Dietary differences in the ages and sexes of Sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) were studied on Kinkazan Island, northern Japan from October 1990 to July 1991. Larger deer consumed more graminoids than smaller deer except in spring, and less dicotyledonous leaves in all the seasons. Fecal nitrogen concentrations were lower in larger deer than in smaller deer in all the seasons. The age‐sex differences in foods were smaller in summer and winter when foods were most abundant and scarce, respectively, while they were greater in spring and autumn when food availability was intermediate.