In towns across the United States, Wild Turkeys regularly make the news for their intimidating ways: chasing down postal workers, delivery people, and children; launching all-out attacks on parked vehicles; harassing cops who make traffic stops; and terrorizing visitors to local parks. “We’ve seen every range of situation, from birds that are just hyper aggressive to just kind-of menacing behaviors,” says David Scarpitti, a wildlife biologist at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife whose voicemail is regularly lit up with turkey complaints.
To the turkey’s many avid fans, this turnabout may seem like fair play. After all, our species has put theirs through the ringer. Due to overhunting and habitat loss, Wild Turkeys were once driven to near extinction in many regions, and only since the 1970s has an impressive reintroduction and conservation effort brought the treasured game birds back nationwide—today, they number in the millions and thrive in many suburbs and cities. Meanwhile, the 46 million domesticated, commercially-raised turkeys typically eaten on Thanksgiving aren’t exactly living the good life either (these farmed butterballs are physically and behaviorally very different compared to the agile wild birds but are still the same species).
None of this means you want to fall victim to a Wild Turkey’s wrath. Thankfully, a little understanding of turkey behaviors—and the reasons for their aggression—will go a long way in helping you stay calm and collected if an ornery gang of adult toms or young jakes approach. More importantly, you can help de-escalate turkey-human tensions by understanding how our human behaviors actively facilitate turkeys’ peskier habits, experts say. Even if you aren’t a turkey’s biggest fan, you may at least come to respect and admire these resilient American icons that live among us. Just follow our handy FAQ.
Why do turkeys like hanging out in towns and cities? Turkeys were once scarce, but as their overall populations have rebounded, they’ve thrived in and around many human communities. The birds are highly adaptable, and in fact, some developed areas—with their green, sunlit, wide-open spaces, interspersed with wooded lots—may even provide a “sweet spot” of ideal habitat, says Mark Hatfield, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s national director of science and planning. What’s more, suburbs may host fewer predators and offer more available food. “Turkeys are pretty scared of things,” Hatfield says. “But once they figure out, ‘Oh, I don’t have to be scared of that,’ they are going to hang around.”
But why are they hounding my neighborhood? Despite many misconceptions, Wild Turkeys are agile, mobile creatures that naturally roam many miles every day in search of food. They do roost in trees at night, which can cause a nuisance if near a person’s home. But turkeys can cause a lot more trouble in a more concentrated area, like on a specific block or property, when they are intentionally fed by people or have easy access to human-provided food—including the contents of backyard bird feeders. Much like bears and coyotes, turkeys that are fed by people may become more sedentary and aggressive, and may lose their natural fear of humans. If you had easy access to an all-you-can buffet, would you hike miles to get a meal? Probably not.
Why can turkeys be so aggressive toward people? This typically happens around the spring breeding season, when males are actively competing to dominate one another within a flock’s social hierarchy, says Scarpitti. Some turkeys—most especially those that are fed and have grown very accustomed to people—may begin to treat passing humans as their competition and seek to dominate them. “Adult gobblers can be a little aggressive, and then we have subadults, the first-year males, which are called jakes. They tend to run in gangs,” says Tim Evans, director of land conservation at Audubon South Carolina. “They will get really aggressive,”
How do I avoid a turkey confrontation? Common sense: As with any wildlife, give turkeys a wide berth, especially in the spring as males are courting, exhibiting behaviors such as puffing their feathers, fanning their tails, gobbling, and strutting. Go around a flock or individuals, and don’t try to push through them. Get inside your vehicle if needed.
In these situations, experts say do not run or back away—or let them circle behind you.
But what if a turkey comes after me? If a turkey is staring you down and approaching you, it may be viewing you as its equal and seeking to display its dominance. “Oftentimes what they’re actually trying to do is get behind you, because that’s how they feel you’ll be most vulnerable,” says Scarpitti. “This is where body language and holding your ground becomes important.” In these situations, experts say do not run or back away—or let them circle behind you. They won’t give up if they perceive you are a weak, submissive opponent and may chase (and with powerful legs that can run more than 12 miles an hour, you probably won’t win that race). Instead, as the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife details, stand your ground, or even move towards the turkey aggressively. Make yourself larger by raising your hands high and opening your jacket and make loud noises.
And what about a bully turkey—how do I deal with one? If a turkey is regularly giving you a hard time, be prepared. Try keeping a folded up garbage bag in your pocket that you can open quickly, says Rebecca Dmytryk, owner of Humane Wildlife Control, Inc. and an expert of 40 years in the field. Take it out and wave it around so it billows with air. You can also use other objects at your disposal, such as opening and closing an umbrella or turning a water hose on them or grabbing a broom, to move them away. If you stand up for yourself, usually a turkey will eventually lose interest within a few minutes. If a turkey problem persists, consider calling state or local wildlife agencies or experts.
How dangerous are turkeys really? Male Wild Turkeys can certainly be psychologically intimidating, and they more rarely can cause injuries with their sharp spurs, strong beaks, and flapping wings. But experts also offer a reality check: Weighing in at up to 25 pounds, turkeys are generally not in the same danger league as wildlife such as, say, bears and coyotes. More commonly, when Scarpetti and Dmytryk get complaints, it’s because of property damage turkeys cause, whether by pooping everywhere under their roost, pulling up a garden, or attacking cars or windows in which they see their reflection.
Are there ways to deter a turkey that is becoming a nuisance? “My message is always about food 100 percent of the time,” Scarpitti says. Do not feed turkeys, and make sure they are not getting into other sources of food. If turkeys are causing problems in your neighborhood, encourage your neighbors to do the same. For nuisance turkeys, wildlife experts also call for humane “hazing” tactics that make it bothersome for a turkey to hang around. Deterring turkeys with unfamiliar shiny or noisy objects can help. Dmytryk’s company uses “scare sticks,” which are two- to three-foot-long bamboo rods outfitted with long, shiny, noisy Mylar ribbons at one end. If protecting your yard is the issue, you might turn on a hose on them—they don’t like water—or invest in a motion-activated sprinkler such as the Yard Enforcer. If a turkey is attacking reflective surfaces such as windows, cover them up.
Should I learn to just live with Wild Turkeys around? Yes! Dmytryk always asks her clients to try to increase their tolerance for wildlife among them—and to approach wildlife deterrence with a specific mission, such as protecting a garden, as opposed to trying to get rid of a wildlife presence entirely. “There is no such thing as a pest in nature. Nature is perfect,” she notes. “People need to realize we’re the pests.”
Now that I’m noticing, turkeys are actually pretty cool? Yes, and yes! Countless people truly love the turkeys around their neighborhoods, and there’s so much to admire about North America’s largest game bird. Turkeys have spunk and smarts and many unusual body parts; they make interesting sounds (not just gobbling) and perform beautiful mating displays. Hens are amazing mothers who go to great lengths to protect their young. Did we mention they roost in trees? Turkeys can run and fly pretty fast—up to 55 miles per hour—and land gracefully, too. “The first time that people see turkeys fly, it’s pretty novel,” says Scarpitti. “Most people don’t ever see that up close.”
