Feathered devils! Aggressive feral DOORCOCKS terrorize an upscale Boston suburb by taking over streets and attacking terrified children
- A rogue wild turkey population is scaring residents of the upscale suburb of Cambridge, Massachusetts
- The turkeys that congregate on the sidewalks during school holidays become aggressive when confronted
- Parents and neighborhood residents have learned to carefully navigate the streets while building their commutes around the feathered fiends
In Boston’s upscale Cambridge neighborhood, wild turkeys terrorize the streets by taking over streets in groups and chasing children.
Earlier this week it was reported that a postman was attacked in the area, which did not surprise local residents as it is an issue they have been dealing with for years.
A video shared with a local news outlet showed a large handful of birds circling a sidewalk as cars drove by.
According to reports, the daily turkey trot occurs around the time that neighborhood children go to school in the morning. Children have learned to pay attention to the presence of the birds so that they are not chased.
Massachusetts has a wild turkey population of about 25,000
Emily Hill, who lives in Cambridge on a block sometimes occupied by the feathered enemies, said: “You have to be aware of that as you walk down the street because they’re going to come after 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 it away.”
But the turkey “became even more aggressive and ran after us,” she said.
The couple returned home unharmed but are now walking the quiet neighborhood streets with increased caution.
“They’re all over. They travel in large herds. They jump up in trees,” he said.
Jonathan Elsner, another neighborhood resident who filmed a video of the birds taking over the sidewalk, said: “I always take the kids to school. I won’t let her go alone.’
His little 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 horrible,” she said of her friends, who escaped the incident unharmed.
These schoolgirls and other neighbors remain nervous now as they try to keep a safe distance from the birds at all times.
Emily Hill, who lives in Cambridge on a block sometimes occupied by the feathered enemies, said: “You have to be aware as you walk down the street because they’re going to come after us.”
Some of the wild turkeys that roam the streets of Cambridge startle local residents and children
Mika Elsner told a recent story about the turkeys her friends chased on their way to school
“If you try to shoo them away, they’ll actually get upset, and they’ll come after you,” Hill said.
While the turkey population has been marching through Cambridge for a number of years, residents say the population size appears to have increased in recent months. About 25,000 wild turkeys currently live in Massachusetts.
Turkeys are attracted to shiny objects – like hubcaps on cars – and windows. They sometimes become aggressive when they see their reflection in the mirror.