![]() Remove feeders in the spring, as there are plenty of natural foods available for all birds. KEEP BIRD FEEDER AREAS CLEAN: Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground as the seed attracts turkeys and other wild animals.Feeding, whether direct or indirect, can cause turkeys to act tame and may lead to bold or aggressive behavior, especially in the breeding season. DON’T FEED TURKEYS: Keep wildlife wild.Neighbors provide food or shelter for turkeys or neglect to act boldly towards the birds." It is also very important that everyone in the neighborhoods follows the same procedures otherwise, "your efforts will be futile if Turkeys, there are certain practices to follow. The state Division of Wildlife and Fisheries notes that turkeys "thrive close to humans in suburban and urban areas," and if you want to make your property less attractive to "They wouldn’t do it for your garden variety brush up." "There are cases where the state will permit the removal of the turkey, but it would have to be a pretty severe case," she says. Rines notes on occasion there may be problem turkeys that require more than a loud show of dominance from people. When on foot, or in your yard, covering reflective surfaces that have the turkeys' snoods in a twist should be effective. It's just a matter of carefully driving away if a turkey has approached the side of your car, or honking your horn. "I've seen them attacking cars on the road." "It doesn't take a whole lot of reflection for them to get aggressive," she says. The turkeys higher up in the pecking order will peck at and dominate birds lower in the order.Īn aggressive turkey "just gets a bee in their bonnet," and may peck and try to drive you away, but Rines says aggression "is almost always against an inanimate object - either a reflection in a window or on a car." That will just signal a bully turkey that you are lower on the totem pole, and therefore are not worthy of its respect.Īccording to state wildlife biologists, turkeys have a distinct hierarchy of dominance - a pecking order. The thing not to do is to run away, back down or show fear. "A dog on a leash is also an effective deterrent," according to the wildlife agency. Or if there are turkeys trying to start a dust up with you in your yard, swatting with a broom or water sprayed from a hose" is recommended. Waving your arms and yelling, flapping your coat or shirt, or blowing a whistle can work, as can opening and flapping an umbrella if you have one at hand. "Don't hesitate to scare or threaten a bold, aggressive turkey with loud noises." "Don't let turkeys intimidate you," the agency's wildlife biologists advise. It's all about establishing dominance, according to the Massachusetts Division of Wildlife and Fisheries. She describes wild turkeys as "highly gregarious," and because this part of their nature causes them "to hang out with each other." Don't back downīack to what to do when you encounter a bunch of wild turkeys. A lot of flocking behavior also has to do with protection from predators, though turkeys don’t have a whole lot of predators - the young certainly do, but when you get a big tom turkey there’s not a lot that’s going to take that on." "In winter they roost in large flocks," she explains. But in the fall, wild turkeys come together in large flocks, or rafters, of three dozen and more of mixed gender and age. There may be groupings of one to nine toms, and groupings of up to 30 brooding females. ![]() Most times of the year, there are small, non-breeding groupings of two to three birds. During breeding season they break up into much much smaller groups," Rines says. "That’s because this is the time of the year when they form flocks. So why do wild turkeys stick out more in the fall? ![]() In reality, Rines explains, they are around all year, foraging in the woods and grasslands, eating bugs, berries, nuts, seeds and grasses. Birds of a feather flock togetherĪt this time of year, it can seem that wild turkeys are suddenly out and about in large numbers. She has herself found dozens of wild turkeys on her lawn at times, and finds they will disperse when she goes out and shoos them away loudly. "They are big birds," Rines says, noting there are cases when turkeys have been known to harass people. ![]() While wild turkeys generally will scatter, she says, "there are times when turkeys can be aggressive" - this is most especially true during mating season in mid March to May. "For the most part, you just walk along and they'll get out of your way," says Marj Rines, a naturalist with the Massachusetts Audubon Society.īut, she admits, it can all depend on how aggressive the birds are, especially the toms and the juvenile jakes working on establishing their place. ![]()
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