What was supposed to be a routine Thursday at home turned surreal for one Cambridge resident when a flock of wild turkeys flooded into her yard and boxed her in, an unnerving scene neighbors caught on camera. Video shows several birds lunging and pecking as the woman slowly retreats toward her back door while people nearby yell and try to drive the birds off. She was not seriously injured, but the run-in has neighbors rattled and the clip has been making the rounds online.
In footage published by The Boston Globe, a tight cluster of turkeys can be seen closing in on the resident as she attempts to get inside. According to CBS Boston, WBZ-TV's Mike Sullivan reported that the woman “feared for her life” during the ordeal, and that neighbors rushed over to chase the birds away. The close-up footage lays out just how quickly a coordinated flock can overwhelm someone in the confines of a backyard.
City Advice And Who To Call
The Cambridge Animal Commission urges residents not to feed wild turkeys and to remove bird feeders and other food sources that encourage the birds to hang around and get comfortable with people. The commission's guidance, which includes making loud noises, opening an umbrella or spraying birds with a hose to scare them off, is posted on the city's website. For help, the Animal Commission lists its phone number as 617-349-4376 and asks residents to report sick or dangerous animals to the state's environmental police at 1-800-632-8075, according to Cambridge Animal Commission.
Why Turkeys Keep Showing Up
State wildlife officials say the surge in wild turkeys is actually a conservation win, with the birds now thriving in urban and suburban pockets across Massachusetts. MassWildlife notes that turkeys that come to rely on human-provided food lose their natural fear of people and can start acting bold or even aggressive. The agency recommends pulling down feeders and removing other attractants to cut down on conflicts between people and birds.
Not The First Time
Longtime residents and reporters say scenes like Thursday's are not exactly rare. The Boston Globe previously covered a widely discussed 2019 case in which a pregnant woman was surrounded and pecked by a rafter of turkeys, and local stations have aired footage of birds blocking sidewalks and chasing children in neighborhoods such as Huron Village. For more on earlier run-ins, see reporting from Boston 25 News.
Officials say that if you come face to face with an aggressive turkey, you should stand tall, make loud noise and slowly back into a building or vehicle instead of running away. They also urge residents to remove bird seed, secure their trash and coordinate with neighbors to keep food sources off the sidewalk so birds do not get habituated to people. To report a dangerous animal in Cambridge, call the Animal Commission at 617-349-4376 or dial 911 for an immediate threat, and the city directs residents to state guidance for handling problem wildlife.
