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Brookline police warn of aggressive turkeys after officer chased into building
Police said with mating season underway, male turkeys may continue to display aggressive behavior.
It’s mating season for turkeys, and that means it’s time to be on guard against aggressive behavior from the feathered residents of Greater Boston, police are warning.
Brookline police issued an alert on Wednesday morning after “several aggressive turkeys” were spotted along Babcock Street around 8:30 a.m., with one of the birds chasing a parking enforcement officer into a building and pecking the glass door. The town’s animal control officer, Brian Bridges, responded to assist the officer.
The male turkeys, or toms, can become more aggressive during mating season, which runs from March to May, the department advised.
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“They may chase, peck, or attempt to intimidate people entering what they consider their territory,” police said.
Safety tips for preventing run-ins with the turkeys include maintaining some distance, refraining from feeding the birds, opening your coat and raising your arms to appear large if approached, and making loud noises to discourage them from coming close.
State wildlife officials also advise taking steps to become the dominant entity in interactions with turkeys — shooing them with rakes, brooms, or even spraying them with a hose.
“You never want to sort of turn your back and run away,” Dave Scarpitti, a state wildlife biologist with MassWildlife, previously told Boston.com. “That kind of feeds into their desire to be dominant in terms of their social status.”
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Bridges also advises keeping an umbrella handy to use as a shield, to “fend off those turkey attacks,” Brookline police said.
“This is a temporary seasonal occurrence,” the department said. “Turkey aggression typically subsides after mating season ends.”
If you encounter an unusually aggressive turkey, police are asking that reports be made to animal control at 617-730-2222.
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