Aggressive turkeys are terrorizing residents of a Massachusetts town. There’s a reason
While turkeys aren’t usually on the mind until November, some are making their presence known in a Massachusetts town shortly after the start of spring.
The Dedham Police Department said animal control has been getting reports of turkeys “following and intimidating” residents, as well as a mail carrier, according to an April 4 Facebook post.
In the midst of the birds’ breeding season, which spans from March until May, “there is an increase in turkey activity,” police said.
The turkeys’ aggressive nature, however, is a result of the animal becoming accustomed to people, “because humans are feeding them - whether intentionally or unintentionally,” police said.
“The best thing we can do to curb this behavior is to stop feeding them,” according to police.
Turkeys also often mistake their own reflection, such as those they see in cars or windows, “for other turkeys,” police said.
This, police said, may be the underlying reason for “reports of turkey attacks on cars (often with humans inside of them, or humans trying to exit [cars]),” according to police.
“Perhaps the next month or so allows for a good excuse to skip window cleaning and car washing,” police said.
To deter turkeys, as with other wildlife, residents can make loud noises and use bright lights or scarecrows, according to police.
Dedham is about 15 miles southwest of Boston.
This story was originally published April 4, 2023 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Aggressive turkeys are terrorizing residents of a Massachusetts town. There’s a reason."
