Français
Categories
    • Heritage and History
    • Libraries
    • Parks and Nature
    • Shows and Exhibitions
    • Sports and Recreation
    • City Suppliers
    • Funding and Assistance
    • Innovation and Research
    • Permits and Authorizations
    • Awards and Distinctions
    • Diversity
    • Neighbourhood Life
    • Prevention and Social Action
    • Universal access
    • Public Consultations
    • Resident Initiatives
    • Air
    • Collections and recycling
    • Ecological Transition
    • Soil
    • Trees and Gardens
    • Water
    • Budget and Financial Profile
    • Municipal Taxes
    • Property Assessment
    • Disaster Risks
    • Police and Firefighters
    • Public Health
    • Buying and Selling a Home
    • Homes
    • Outdoor Development and Maintenance
    • Renovation and Construction
    • Cleanliness
    • Construction and Street Closings
    • Snow Removal
    • Travel and Transportation
    • Administration
    • Boroughs
    • City Hall and Elected Officials
    • Jobs
    • Organizations and councils
    • Publications and Data
    • Pets
    • Wildlife and Insects
    • Claims and Complaints
    • Tickets and Appeals
    • Land-Use Management
    • Urban Planning
Services
  • Points of Service
  • Parks
  • Libraries
  • Ecocentres
  • Municipal Arts Centres
  • Sports Facilities
Calendars
  • Arts and Culture
  • Exhibitions
  • Sports and Recreation
  • Public Participations
  • Neighbourhood Life
Contact Us
  • 311
  • The Mayor
  • Elected Officials
  • Media Relations
  • Services
  • Requests
  • Tasks
  • Activity log
  • Personal information
  • Account settings
  • Communication preferences
  • Services
  • Applications and Requests
  • Tasks
  • Activity log
  • Members
  • Information
Add an organization
  1. Home
  2. Articles
  3. Education
Getty Images

Wild turkeys: How to coexist with these birds

Last updated June 23, 2022
Reading time: 1 min
Related to
  • Birds and other wild animals

Wild turkeys are passing through our neighborhoods more and more often. This large bird is not usually dangerous. Here are some tips on what to do if you encounter a wild turkey, and how to prevent it from attacking you.

People may think that wild turkeys are a problem because some individual birds display dominant behavior. For example, turkeys may chase and peck humans. They may even attack cars.

What should you do if you see a wild turkey around your yard?

  • Do not go near it
  • Do not feed it
  • Make a noise to scare it away or use an object such as an umbrella or a stick to keep it at a distance and scare it off. Do not hit the bird.

Reduce access to food

Turkeys often eat seeds that fall out of feeders, food waste from poorly sealed bins or food that they find on the ground. 

Feeding wild animals, even indirectly by leaving garbage or food out, makes them less afraid of humans. This can lead to aggressive behavior. 

Some tips for keeping wild turkeys away: 

  • Close garbage, recycling and compost bins tightly
  • Use feeders that prevent seeds from scattering on the ground or install a screen underneath to hold them in. Clean the ground under the feeders often. If a turkey is in your neighborhood, remove the feeders temporarily . 
  • Install netting over your vegetable and berry plants to prevent turkeys from feeding on them.

Although they can fly, turkeys prefer to walk. A fence may make your yard more difficult to enter and less attractive to the birds. 

By changing our behaviors, we can coexist better with the wild animals that live in our city.

Quick search

  • Pets and Insects

Did you find what you need?

Help us make our site better.

Please explain what could be improved.
Back to top
My account
  • About my Account
  • Create an Account
  • Notices and Alerts
Contact us
  • Access to information request
  • Contact the City
  • Report a Problem
Work with us
  • Call for Bids
  • City Vendors (in French)
  • Jobs
Visiting Montréal
  • City Hall
  • MTLWiFi
  • Tourisme Montréal
About us
  • By-laws
  • Medias
  • News Releases
  • Partnership Agreements
  • Public Notices
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
Boroughs
Boroughs
  • Ahuntsic-Cartierville (in French)
  • Anjou (in French)
  • Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
  • L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève
  • Lachine
  • LaSalle
  • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal (in French)
  • Le Sud-Ouest (in French)
  • Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve (in French)
  • Montréal-Nord (in French)
  • Outremont (in French)
  • Pierrefonds-Roxboro
  • Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles (in French)
  • Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie (in French)
  • Saint-Laurent
  • Saint-Léonard (in French)
  • Verdun
  • Ville-Marie (in French)
  • Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension (in French)
  • Privacy
  • Legal notice
Français
Are you sure you want to leave this page?

This page is not available in English. You will be redirected to the English home page.

Leave this page