Posted on 04/07/2008 5:50:15 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
While rain and snow may not deter the postal service, wild turkeys are a bird of a different feather.
Mara Wilhite, manager of the Hilldale Station Post Office, said wild turkeys have been pestering postal delivery workers in Parkwood Hills, a neighborhood on Madison 's West Side near Owen Conservation Park and home to a number of the large birds.
Between five and 10 large male turkeys, or toms -- apparently a little giddy with the onset of turkey breeding season -- have been bullying postal workers as they make their rounds, pecking at them and even trying to rough them up with the sharp spurs on their legs. One of the birds launched itself through the open door of a mail truck and scratched the driver.
Eric Lobner, regional wildlife program supervisor for the state Department of Natural Resources, is on the case, investigating the turkey gang.
"They are being threatened by the turkeys, " said Lobner, who received a call from Wilhite about the situation.
Lobner said other residents should not be too worried about marauding bands of wild turkeys in the streets. He said this particular group of toms has a reputation and has actually been a problem in the past at John Muir Elementary School, chasing school children around the playground and even pecking at the doors after the students were rushed inside the school.
But why the turkeys have targeted postal workers this spring remains a mystery. Lobner said the behavior is clearly tied to the breeding season, which just started and runs through about mid-May. He said color plays an important role in turkey breeding and added that the male's head during mating season changes from gaudy blue to white to red.
Perhaps, Lobner speculated, turkeys are attracted to the red, white and blue postal trucks.
Russ Hefty, conservation director for the Madison Parks Department, is familiar with the Owen Conservation Park turkeys, who roost in the park's restored oak savannas. He agreed it could be color, even the color of the postal uniforms, that makes the workers attractive to the turkeys.
Nervous postal workers have been armed with water pistols. But while the squirts of water worked for a while, Lobner said the turkeys now seem accustomed to the spritzing.
In the wake of that failed effort, some workers have been using long sticks to fend off the amorous birds, he said, adding that he will meet with Wilhite next week to discuss other solutions.
Part of the problem, Lobner said, is that residents around Owen Conservation Park may be feeding the turkeys, which makes the birds less afraid of humans. He said pamphlets have been circulated in the neighborhood to discourage people from feeding the birds.
The Madison Police Department said there are other turkeys in the city with records. Police Tasered a turkey in April 2006 when it crashed through the glass window of a home and then refused to leave. The stunned turkey, which had a wing span of nearly 5 feet, then made a clean escape.
Wilhite expected to deal with all manner of issues when she went to work for the U.S. Post Office. But wild turkeys driven to distraction during the turkey mating season was not one of them.
"Just when you thought you'd heard it all, " Wilhite said.
This just cracks me up. Enviros want to create habitat to co-exist with Nature. Nature pesters these kind-hearted Enviros by trying to take over the habitat that was CREATED FOR THEM in the first place...Enviros get mad, LOL! Dorks.
We have wild turkeys and feral ginnies in the neighborhood of our little farm. I love them. They eat ticks. That’s all I need to know. I think I’ll start putting out poultry food.
When you're driving down the highway at night And you're feelin' that wild turkey's bite Don't give Johnny Walker a ride Cause Jack Black is right by your side You might get taken to the jailhouse and find You've been arrested for driving while blind
Well, sounds like they have over a month to go. It IS funny to think of all those postal workers being on high alert against these turkeys every day - I think they ought to be able to arm themselves.
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