ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A wild turkey can turn a morning jog into a sprint. That's what one runner discovered when an aggressive bird began chasing him near the University of Michigan's North Campus, WDIV reported.
Residents in Ann Arbor have posted on Nextdoor, a social networking service for neighborhoods, sharing encounters with the wild turkey, who apparently is acting alone, WDIV reported. Residents said the bird can be identified by a feather sticking out of its chest, the television station reported.
“While I was out for my run on Huron Parkway this morning, I was chased by a very aggressive and large turkey,” the resident wrote. “If it wasn't for a passerby in a car stopping and helping me, I think he would have tried to hurt me."
According to WDIV, one resident posted about a runner's encounter on Nextdoor.
Another runner posted that the bird had chased him several times, but never assaulted him, according to WDIV.
The Humane Society of the United States has a page devoted to encounters with the birds, called "What to do about wild turkeys." The Humane Society listed five ways to solve the "wild turkey problem": Don't feed them, scare them away (turkeys will run away from dominant figures, so the Humane Society recommends loud noises and arm waving); encourage roosting turkeys to move elsewhere; use scare devices to protect your gardens; and be vigilant for the birds while driving since they tend to travel in groups.