'Aggressive' wild turkey causing problems for residents in Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood

Aggressive turkey in Ottawa neighbourhood An aggressive turkey is causing problems for residents in Ottawa’s Riverview neighbourhood. CTV’s Peter Szperling reports.

An agressive and wild turkey is ruffling some feathers for residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood.

"He's aggressive. He comes right at you, and sometimes pointing his beak at you at you," said resident Marsha Ellis.

Residents say he, and a group of other turkeys, frequent two quiet dead-end streets near Baseline Road and Prince of Wales Drive.

Ellis describes situations where he’s pecked at cars, and she’s concerned when leaving her home.

"I hadn't been on the receiving end until three weeks ago, when on garbage day, I tried to leave in my car, and he ran around the car right in my face, picking stuff off my car."

Ern Snyder says he looks forward to the daily visits from the turkeys but says the one male turkey can appear as aggressive to some.

"It can be a little bit disconcerting for people, particularly if you're walking with children and [the turkey] comes up to you or starts to approach you," Snyder said.

He says he’s had to help courier drivers out of their vehicles who were afraid to get out.

"I noticed the courier truck was just parked there and it but the driver wasn't getting out of the car, and I walked over and he opened the window and he pointed to the turkey."

Sean Kiska says the turkey started pecking at his car when he was leaving his driveway.

"Usually they're not very aggressive, but one time I'm trying to pull my car out and they see, I think they see their reflection in the car and they go up to the car and start pecking at it."

Other neighbours shared a similar experience, saying the turkey would appear to attack their car after seeing its reflection.

Others enjoy seeing the turkeys.

"Absolutely. We consider them the mascot of our street," said Annamary Licary Hagerman,

River Ward Coun. Riley Brockington shared tips on social media about what to do if approached by the turkey.

"This aggressive turkey is causing problems in River Ward,” he wrote in the tweet.

"Helpful Hints...show dominance...spray them with a hose, deploy whistles/other sound devices, wave your arms or open/close an umbrella quickly. (shiny objects will attract turkeys where they can see their reflection)," he wrote.

Brockington says he has heard the concerns.

"Like all wildlife, it's important not to feed them and to basically keep your distance, but also in the case where a turkey is being aggressive, you want to assert your own authority. Whether it's if you're doing gardening work, watering them with a hose, if you have a whistle, waving your arms."

He tells CTV News Ottawa the City has no plans to remove the turkey.

"The city's position, always, with wildlife is to leave it alone," he says.

"We've seen other wildlife issues, such as with coyotes in River Ward -- and across the city. The goal is to facilitate their survival, their existence, to coexist in the ecosystem. The same thing with wild turkeys. The same thing with other animals. We just want to make sure people are aware that they are amongst us within the community, that there are reasonable steps and tips to take."