The wild turkey stayed back in the neighborhood even after the rest of its flock left. It has attacked people, pecked at tires, and chased cars.
The only time we could think of a turkey being a hazard to us is when we choke on this delicacy on Thanksgiving. Well, we were wrong. Turns out there are other ways in which a turkey could take over our lives and steal our peace. Residents of a Minnesota neighborhood, Coon Rapids, said they are constantly attacked by an increasingly aggressive turkey that has taken up residence in the area, reports UPI.
The turkey arrived at the Coon Rapids mobile home park as part of a flock in November 2021, but it stayed back when the rest of the flock left a few weeks later. Since then, the evil bird has become more aggressive, frequently attacking people and causing damage to cars and other property.
Resident Rachael Gross, told CBS: "This turkey has literally taken over our life... This turkey attacks me every single day. Follows me, goes up my stairs, tries to get into my house. When I leave in my car, it follows my car." Everyone in town seems to be constantly bothered by this terrifying bird who refuses to fly away. According to neighbors, children must carry sticks when walking to the school bus stop in the morning to keep the turkey from chasing them. The wild turkey has attacked people, pecked at tires, and chased cars.
"My one-year-old grand baby just moved in with us and I'm afraid to even take her outside especially when the weather gets warmer like we can't have people over, we can't have a barbeque... It's not safe for anybody including the turkey so I would just like it to be relocated to a place it could be with other turkeys and not be a nuisance to people or potentially hurt somebody," resident Emily Ahlsten expressed with concern. "I have to carry my broom and my water and my golf club everywhere I go."
Residents in Coon Rapids say a wild turkey is terrorizing the neighborhood. It has attacked people and pecked at moving cars, causing some neighbors to carry a broom with them at all times to defend themselves. They just want the turkey to be relocated. More at 10pm @WCCO pic.twitter.com/QD6l6HJ0Yn
— Kirsten Mitchell (@Kirsten_TV) January 21, 2023
Residents stated that they contacted the Department of Natural Resources, but were only given advice on how to keep the turkey from finding food, removing bird feeders, and chopping down branches where the turkey nests. As per Scott Noland, a wildlife manager for the Department of Natural Resources, officials are hesitant to relocate nuisance turkeys because they frequently cause additional problems elsewhere. Noland told The Washington Post that removing the bird is usually the last resort in situations like this.
The turkey, according to a resident named Gross, sleeps on her roof or in a tree outside her house. She claims the turkey gobbles all night and stares at her when she opens the blinds on her kitchen window in the morning. Gross named the turkey Gladys at first, but as it grew, she realized it was a male and changed its name to Reggie, though she hasn't confirmed the turkey's sex or age. "I'm pretty stressed out and pretty anxious all the time. I can't even have peace," shared Gross.
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