Teaneck Plans To Use Air Horns To Deal With Wild Turkey Problem
TEANECK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A northern New Jersey town is planning to acquire 20 air horns to help its residents deal with aggressive wild turkeys.
The Record newspaper reports Animal Control Officer Vincent Ascolese says he will give the air horns to Teaneck officials to distribute to the public.
Officials say they've received about a dozen complaints from residents reporting aggressive wild turkeys. The birds have attacked residents, pecked at cars, held up traffic and one has flown through a glass kitchen window.
"All of a sudden it went straight through the window -- we were covered in glass," said resident Courtney Lopchinsky. "The turkey was covered in mud and water and kept flapping its wings throwing mud water everywhere."
But another resident named Alfred told 1010 WINS' John Montone he has some wild turkeys living in his back yard.
"I've had them at my house for about three years," he said. "They're pretty good, pretty tame."
Town officials say only the state is able to touch the birds but residents can humanely scare them away by using water hoses or making loud noises to assert dominance.
Amy Schweitzer, of the state Department of Environmental Protection, says the birds' aggressive behavior tends to decrease in the summer.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
