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Aggressive wild turkey has Michigan joggers on the run

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.

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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.

According to WDIV, one resident posted about a runner's encounter on Nextdoor.

“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."

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.