On my last visit to Staten Island in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I was stunned to see a flock of wild turkeys crossing Hylan Boulevard, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the entire borough. Such a sight would not perhaps raise an eyebrow in rural America, but the last thing one expects in New York City is a flock of turkeys crossing a busy street in a heavily populated area midday.

Virtually every news source has covered this story and reading about the birds, apparently they are not loved by neighborhood residents who find them a menace. The birds are very aggressive with a myriad of tales and complaints. Articles with titles such as: Turkeys Terrify Staten Island Residents Trap Woman in Car; Scourge of Staten Island: Turkeys terrorize residents as they roam neighborhood; Staten Island’s wild turkeys flourish despite Sandy’s woes; Wild Turkeys Get a Taste of Domesticity; Much to a Borough’s Chagrin, Staten Island Locals Fear Wild Turkeys!; Wild Turkeys Push Staten Island Homeowners to the Breaking Point, et. al.

Estimates of the turkeys numbers range in the hundreds. Officials say that the turkeys are not indigenous to the island. It is thought that the presence of wild turkeys in Staten Island dates back to 1999, when nine turkeys were released onto the grounds of the South Beach Psychiatric Center by a local resident who had held them in captivity.

As to dealing with the menace, The New York Times says:

The state has rejected efforts to transfer the flocks to more rural counties, where turkeys normally forage — but where the Staten Island flocks, officials fear, might not adjust well after acclimating to a human habitat. The Staten Island turkeys cannot be hunted, either, because they are protected with prescribed seasons and areas, none of which are within the city limits.

At this time of year, many Staten Island residents think like Allan Barnhardt: “I have the perfect spot for these turkeys. Right between my mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.” However, hunting turkeys is illegal in New York City, and so, the birds, like many a New Yorker, walk through the city streets with attitude and a touch of arrogance. They’re not going to be on anyone’s plate this Thanksgiving. For now, the turkeys of Staten Island go Unfettered not Defeathered 🙂

More wild and unexpected animals in NYC: That Should Cover It, Lost in that Wool, Bronx Zoo, Warm and Fuzzy, Parrots, Rain Forest, Horsing Around, Albino Burmese Python