Aggressive Wild Turkeys Breeding Like Bunnies Around The Bay Area

BERKELEY (KCBS) -- Bay Area ecologists are concerned about an explosion in the wild turkey population, and say some are on the attack.

The turkeys have been showing up in the Bay Area's hills and suburbs recently.  Aside from being noisy, they're also pushing out local wildlife.

"Any time they're in an area, they basically displace all the other ground-foraging birds," said Steve Bobzien, Ecological Coordinator with the East Bay Regional Parks District.

Night vision cameras show the turkeys overrunning the parks when dark falls.

Bobzien told KCBS Radio the turkeys are breeding like bunnies, and can be downright scary. There have been reports of aggressive birds.

"At times they can get pretty aggressive. It intimidates people. They'll chase people. They'll fly up and show their talons," Bobzien said.