Wild turkeys ruffle feathers in Bay Area neighborhoods
Residents have reported an influx of wild turkeys.
— -- Thanksgiving may be over, but turkeys are still on the minds of some Bay Area residents who say they have become a nuisance.
Wild turkeys have been spotted strolling through residential neighborhoods, and some have reported the birds are blocking traffic, scratching roofs and cars and getting aggressive.
"To have a turkey flying at you, they're like a 30-pound bird. It's kinda scary," San Francisco resident Nate Wells told ABC News.
"They're just in everybody's yards. Kinda everywhere," Wells added. "We're in turkey country!"
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said she has also had run-ins with the birds.
Residents have reported that the birds are roosting on roofs, tearing up gardens and defecating on lawns, but the California Department of Fish and Wildlife mandates that wild turkeys can only be hunted with a license during turkey-hunting season, or removed with a special permit.
The CDFW recommends that residents avoid feeding the birds and use motion-detected sprinklers to keep them out of their yards. The agency also said that an open umbrella can help steer a wild turkey that has lost its fear of humans away from people.