Staten Island Locals Fear Wild Turkeys!

Photo by John Kuhner

Maybe they sense Thanksgiving is coming up, because the menacing turkeys of Staten Island that we read about earlier this year are at it again. Back in February writer John Kuhner noted, "they especially like the South Beach Psychiatric Center [and] they number around a hundred now." Indeed, the turkey brood began to form when a local set her 9 turkeys free at the center decades ago. Now according to the Daily News, the flock is still around, causing traffic jams, and even trapping frightened women in their cars. It's a Thanksgiving nightmare!

One 23-year-old dental assistant named Gina told the paper, "It was straight out of Cujo. I'm sitting in my car Facebooking on my phone when turkeys jumped on my windshield. I screamed like I was being murdered. They just kept looking at me like it was their car. I felt trapped. I was so scared."

The locals are crying out for help, saying, "People think turkeys are a big joke... but it becomes a living nightmare... no one will help us." City law protects the wild turkeys from hunters, so unless locals fashion Canada geese costumes for them, they're sticking around. For now, locals are using garden hoses to keep the birds away from their homes... but won't someone think of the frightened dental assistants, trapped in their cars?!

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By Jen Carlson in News on November 10, 2010 2:27 PM

Comments [rss]

taracorinne

I worked as a live-in counselor at a boy's youth home that used to be on Staten Island and I remember when the turkey season began. One of the boys joked, "Go get the Sazón!" when we saw them all over our yard.

They're not that bad and they do leave if you bother them.

Zeke0

Where is John Potts when you need him?

soxinthecity

Gina probably blew her horn a dozen times while driving to work that day, but she was too afraid to blow it again at some turkeys?!?

jimmylegs

man i got to see video of that turkey attack

CR

Gina = Brian Fellows

That turkey is looking at me crazy!

MT

Wasn't this an episode of South Park?

robingee

Damn nature, YOU SCARY!

Also, Gina? Get a grip.

Cannibal

Don't be scurred Gina, just bring some mayo next time

Wza

Surprised the locals haven't attacked the turkeys yet.

I mean, they are pretty good at attacking newcomers.

Kojak

Yeah it's weird. Hell, it's almost Thanksgiving. They should be THANKFUL they can knock one of them off for Thanksgiving Dinner for free turkey.

Wza

Maybe if the media reported the turkeys as Mexican turkeys?

robingee

I would think that wild turkeys are not good to eat, since they exercise and are not fat like farm-raised?

Kojak

Yeah, AND they live on the streets of Staten Island. They probably have more diseases than pigeons.

If they were Mexican turkeys, the INS would get overwhelmed with calls. Hell ,not even illegal Mexicans have as many rights as these birds do.