Deerling changes its appearance depending on the current season. However, this change in form does not occur after capture, unless it is present in the player's party at the time of a season change. This applies to Eggs as well.
When the month is January, May, or September, the season is Spring, and it becomes Spring Form.
When the month is February, June, or October, the season is Summer, and it becomes Summer Form.
When the month is March, July, or November, the season is Autumn, and it becomes Autumn Form.
When the month is April, August, or December, the season is Winter, and it becomes Winter Form.
From Generation VI onwards, seasons are no longer a mechanic in the game, and only the Spring Form has been obtainable in the wild. However, its other forms are retained upon transferring from Generation V and can be passed down via breeding.
Deerling is a Pokémon that resembles a fallow deer fawn. The upper side of its body is pink in the spring, green in the summer, orange in the autumn, and brown in the winter. Deerling has a yellow patterned rim, and its underside is peach. It sports a yellow floral tuft on its head, and similar yellow coloration on the insides of its tapering ears. The tips of its limbs are colored black and its pink tail is small. It can change in appearance with the changing of the seasons. If it senses animosity, it hides in tall grass. It moves in herds as it is timid around humans. It dwells in sparsely populated areas, away from humans. It is herbivorous.
Multiple Spring Form Deerling appeared in Enter Iris and Axew!. Ash attempted to catch one, but as he had not weakened it, it was able to deflect the Poké Ball and fled with the rest of the herd.
In Sewaddle and Burgh in Pinwheel Forest!, a Sewaddle accidentally latched onto a wild Spring Form Deerling with String Shot, startling it. This caused it to buck and thrash around wildly through the forest in an effort to get Sewaddle off, but this put Sewaddle in serious danger.
In Lost at the Stamp Rally!, a Spring Form Deerling was seen performing in a Pokémon Musical show. Multiple other Deerling also appeared in the same episode.
Five Deerling appeared in Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!, with one under the ownership of a Trainer, two being wild, and the other two appearing in a flashback.
Darlene, a female Deerling, was captured by White during her preparation for the Battle Subway trial in Growing Pains. She was seen in her Summer, Autumn, and Winter Forms.
Deerling have different appearances depending on the season. They usually stick close to Sawsbuck, but because they’re so curious, they sometimes wander off on their own and get lost.
Deerling have different appearances depending on the season. They usually stick close to Sawsbuck, but because they’re so curious, they sometimes wander off on their own and get lost.
Deerling have different appearances depending on the season. They usually stick close to Sawsbuck, but because they’re so curious, they sometimes wander off on their own and get lost.
Deerling have different appearances depending on the season. They usually stick close to Sawsbuck, but because they’re so curious, they sometimes wander off on their own and get lost.
Deerling's Autumn Form has, to date, only ever been released as a Pokémon card once; because this card was never released outside of Japan, Autumn Form Deerling has never appeared in the International Pokémon Trading Card Game.
No other Pokémon has the same typecombination as Deerling and its evolved form.
Deerling may be a combination of deer and yearling (referring to both its young age and its ties to the year's four seasons) or sapling (referring to its Grass-type and abilities). Alternatively, it may be a combination of dear and darling, both common terms of endearment.
Shikijika is a combination of 四季 shiki (four seasons) and 鹿 shika (deer).