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Staten Island Residents Getting 'Turkey Survey'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The Department of Environmental Conservation wants to gobble up all the information it can from Staten Island residents about wild turkeys.

According to the Staten Island Advance, 700 residents are being surveyed about the birds, which have been known to roam parts of the island.

The DEC wants to know what locals think about their neighbors: are they giving thanks for them, or are they are fowl problem? The turkeys can make a lot of noise, and leave behind droppings.

If the birds are deemed a nuisance, officials are weighing options. They're reportedly having trouble finding places that will take the birds in. The birds aren't quite wild, nor are they quite domesticated, making keeping them in a sanctuary problematic.

That means they may get harvested - and cooked up - by local food banks.

Cooking them may pose health risks, since the birds feed on everything from fertilizer to insecticide to motor oil, the Staten Island Advance reports.

What do you think should happen to the birds? Sound off in the comments section.

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