Wild Turkeys Annoying Pheasant Hill Neighborhood

A flock of wild turkeys are causing headaches for residents in the Pheasant Hill neighborhood of Framingham.

They have been blocking driveways, gathering in the roads, and one even broke a window in a home in the neighborhood last week.

Residents should make every effort to eliminate sources of food such as unsecured garbage, and spilled bird seed, for wild turkeys. Never feed a wild turkey.

Never provoke a wild turkey flock. They can run up to 25 miles per hour and fly more than 50 miles per hour. Predators of wild turkeys include humans, crows, snakes, skunks, raccoons, and opossums, according to the MSPCA.

During mating season, from February to May, male turkeys may venture into neighborhoods looking for females to mate with. During mating season, wild turkeys may respond “ aggressively to reflective surfaces (such as windows, automobile mirrors, or polished car doors), thinking that their reflection is an intruding male turkey.”

The Humane Society suggests homeowners “scare turkeys away by making noises (try blowing a whistle) or dousing the turkey with water from a hose. A leashed dog may also be effective in scaring a turkey away.”

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Photo courtesy of Gail Barbato