Aggressive wild TURKEYS are terrorizing upmarket Boston suburb
Feathered Devils! Aggressive, feral TURKEYS terrorize Boston’s posh suburbs by taking over roads and attacking frightened children
- A rogue population of wild turkeys is terrifying the residents of the posh suburb of Cambridge, Massachusetts
- The turkeys, who gather on the sidewalks during school drop off hours, become aggressive when confronted
- Neighborhood parents and community residents have learned to carefully navigate the streets as they build their commutes around the feathered devils
In Boston’s posh Cambridge neighborhood, wild turkeys terrorize the streets by taking over roads in groups and chasing children.
It was reported earlier this week that a nearby postman had been attacked, which came as no surprise to residents as it is a problem they have been dealing with for years now.
A video shared with a local news outlet showed a large handful of birds circling the sidewalk as cars drove by.
The daily turkey trot reportedly takes place around the time children from the neighborhood leave for school in the morning. Children have learned to become aware of the presence of the birds, lest they be chased.
Massachusetts has a wild turkey population of about 25,000
Emily Hill, who lives in Cambridge in a block sometimes occupied by the feathered foes, said: ‘You have to be aware that you are walking down the street, because they will chase us.’
Hill and her seven-year-old daughter Julia have first-hand experience with the group.
Last fall, Hill said, “a turkey crossed the road. We got her (Julia) off her scooter and tried to wave it to scare him away.’
But the turkey “just got more aggressive and started running after us,” she said.
The pair made it home unharmed, but now walk their quiet neighborhood streets with a greater sense of caution.
‘They’re all over. They travel in large herds. They jump up trees,” she continued.
Jonathan Elsner, another local resident who videotaped the birds taking over the sidewalk, said, “I always walk the kids to school. I’m not letting them go alone.’
His young daughter’s friends were recently chased by the big birds on their way to school.
“Suddenly they just tilted their heads and had to run really fast,” said Mika Elsner.
“They ran up a hill and around a corner, but it was like terrifying,” she said of her friends, who escaped the incident unscathed.
Those schoolgirls and other local residents now remain tense as they always try to keep a safe distance from the birds.
Emily Hill, who lives in Cambridge in a block sometimes inhabited by the feathered foes, said: ‘You have to be aware that you are walking down the street because they will chase us’
Some of the wild turkeys strolling the streets of Cambridge terrifying local residents and children
Mika Elsner shared a recent story about the turkeys chasing her friends on their way to school
“If you try to chase them away, they’ll actually be thwarted and will come after you,” Hill said.
While the turkey population has been marching around Cambridge for several years, residents say the population appears to have increased in recent months. About 25,000 wild turkeys currently reside in Massachusetts.
Turkeys are attracted to shiny objects – such as car hubcaps – and windows. They sometimes become aggressive when they see their reflection.