Residents say army of wild turkeys taking over parts of Long Island
SUFFOLK COUNTY (WABC) -- Turkeys are running wild on Long Island.
After nearly disappearing in the area for years, people living in some communities say the turkeys are now taking over.
In Central Suffolk County, at Connetquot River State Park Preserve has more than a few newcomers who seem to be growing in numbers.
A video of wild turkeys was taken this afternoon by a park ranger.
"There are absolutely more turkeys. We've kinda had a boom in them," NYS Parks Regional Director George Gorman said.
"We get homeowners that call us cause we're state parks they go, 'You know there's a turkey, there's a few turkeys in my back yard, can you come and get them?'" Gorman said.
The answer is to let them be.
Although not everyone may be thrilled with turkey droppings in their yards, many residents love them near their bird feeders.
From Sayville up to the Suffolk County Community College campus in Selden, to out in Eastport, the turkeys are spreading.
"We've had groups with like 14 chicks I think we counted one year," Kay Connelly of Eastport said.
While turkeys once roamed in Riverhead in abundance back in the 1800s, egg collecting and hunting eliminated them.
"So they were extinct on Long Island and nearly extinct in most of New York and it wasn't until the 90s that the DEC actually brought some of the survivors from upstate NY to Long Island to try to repopulate them," John Di Leonardo of Humane Long Island said.
And it worked.
In the Spring of 2023, hunting was permitted once again.
Another fall hunting season begins this weekend.
Turkey lovers are not so happy about that, touting the benefits of these birds.
"They eat lots of ticks. Nobody likes the ticks. If you've got turkeys around, you're gonna see a lot less ticks," Di Leonardo said.
They also admire their elusive nature.
"I've certainly seen a lot more than I had in the past, especially at certain times of the day, you'll see certain families in the same place," Bay Shore resident Cayleigh Kunnmann said.
The site of these new "neighbors" hits differently as Thanksgiving approaches.
"It's important to consider there are other options," Kunnmann said.
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
