Aggressive turkeys have reportedly been “following” and “intimidating” residents in Dedham, south of Boston, according to police who posted safety tips as turkey breeding season ramps up this spring.
Breeding season is from March to May, leading to a jump in turkey activity around the region and incidents involving humans.
“Animal Control has received a few reports of turkeys, ‘following’ and ‘intimidating’ residents — as well as a USPS letter carrier,” Dedham Police wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
“The increase in activity is due to male turkeys establishing dominance amongst their (male) peers; the increase in intimidation and aggression towards humans is due to turkeys having become habituated around humans — because humans are feeding them — whether intentionally or unintentionally,” police added.
The police department’s top tip for curbing their aggressive behavior is for people to stop feeding the turkeys. This will help keep turkeys farther away from residences and parking lots.
Turkeys that are looking at their reflections on the sides of cars and windows may think they’re seeing other turkeys.
“This may be the contributing factor to reports of turkey ‘attacks’ on cars (often with humans inside of them, or humans trying to exit),” Dedham Police wrote.
Like with other wildlife, some effective deterrents include loud noises, bright lights, and hoses. Police also noted that dogs in yards may uninvite turkeys, along with property “scarecrows” (pinwheels, artificial lawn animals, Mylar tape).
