Forest habitat use and home-range size in radio-collared fallow deer

mature forests and young plantations were least utilised. Diurnal and nocturnal habitat selection patterns differed significantly. The primary difference was the use of mead ows, which was higher at night than during the day. Results on the representativeness of diurnal habitat use to 24-hour data were equivocal. Although daytime and 24-hour habitat use patterns were similar, day vs. night and night vs. 24-hour habitat use patterns differed significantly. Our results suggest that when open habitats are involved, the representativeness of daytime data to 24-hour habitat use may be less than complete. This study also indicates that calculations of habitat use by fallow deer based on direct observations are likely to underestimate the use of closed habitats.