Wild turkey sighted in downtown Minneapolis
Posted on March 19th, 2009 – 10:47 AMBy Jim Williams
Thursday morning on his way to work, Star Tribune designer Bruce Bjerva saw a wild turkey at the intersection Park Av. and 5th St.
“I live in Afton, so I know turkey,” he said.
Just like the proverbial chicken, the turkey was trying to cross the road, a busy intersection that includes the light rail tracks. Bjerva thinks the turkey was a female — because of the shape and size — but he’s not certain. Passerbys were gawking and pointing at the bird, which seemed a bit confused.
Did you see the downtown turkey? Log on and let us know. We’d love to see a picture. Did anyone snap one?
Guest blogger Connie Nelson
67 Responses to "Wild turkey sighted in downtown Minneapolis"
all depends on which downtown you are curious about..
They are all over the Capitol Hill area of St. Paul.
Capitol Hill sounds like a better environment for turkeys than 5th and Park. There’s nothing but buildings and busy roads. . .
Expand CapitalBabs’ comment to read, “They are all over EVERYWHERE.” They’re becoming as common as pigeons. Perhaps the one in downtown Minneapolis is seeking a mate or a date, looking for a turkey singles bar. I’ve been told that it’s not hard to find turkeys in singles bars.
How did we end up with so many turkeys? Were they introduced here?
There are daily sightings of Wild Turkey at many downtown Minneapolis drinking establishments.
Ha! But do those Wild Turkey try to cross the road?
It was probably downtown looking for a job.
Obviously lost from a Wild Turkey promotion at Glueks from the night before. They need to take better care of their promotional props.
I’ve seen one in Minnehaha Falls Park – two sightings last week!
I have seen a number of them over in Kenwood park and by that bricked up water tower on top of the hill – I suppose they just take the greenway bike path along 394 right into town.
Last fall walking around the riverside park below St. Anthony Falls, we saw an adult female deer. It was scared and ran past us on the trail, coming within about 10 feet of us, I’d say.
I had a wild turkey fly in front of my car as it crossed the road this morning just past the intersection of 35E and Sheppard Rd. It really surprised me and I was going like 50 MPH so I had to hit my brakes to avoid hitting it!
oh…my mistake.
I thought that was Biden visiting.
Yes I saw it at Grant and Park as I was turning towards 11th street.
Yes, I saw it, as did some of my colleagues.
It looked like it was heading out of HCMC towards juvenile court. Maybe she was neglecting her children and in search of a public defender.
Wild Turkeys are native to Minnesota, but by the 1880s they had been hunted out. According to the DNR Web site, in the 1970s our game biologists traded walleyes, ruffed grouse, prairie chickens, and Hungarian partridge to Missouri and other states for turkeys. I was in Carver Park the day turkeys were released there. Crates were opened, and turkeys legged it into the woods. No one knew for certain if the birds would survive in numbers high enough for breeding. And for sure no one knew that the birds would move not only far north of their expected territory, but also into downtown Minneapolis.
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Wild Turkey near Cedar & 35th, earlier this week:
I saw one last week by Lake Harriet. It was the second time I’ve seen one there in the past 6 months.
Great photo, WiiiildTurkey!
Wonder if he stopped in Matt’s for a Juicy Lucy . . .
Jim,
I guess we know the answer to the question of whether or not reintroduced turkeys would survive in Minnesota. It seems like they’re taking over the state. . .
The turkey was observed earlier marveling at his reflection in the polished black marble of the Star Tribune’s main building.
[...] FlowersPlantsTrees.com added an interesting post today on Wild turkey sighted in downtown MinneapolisHere’s a small reading…work, Star Tribune designer Bruce Bjerva saw a wild turkey at the intersection Park Av. and 5th St. “I live in Afton, so I know turkey,” he… [...]
Leave the turkey alone. It was just trying to cross the road so it can get to the other side.
WiiiildTurkey beat me too it.
This turkey was at Matt’s Bar earlier this week.
There was one at the south end of Lake Harriet two weeks ago. It was walking around then flew up into an oak tree and roosted for a while.
I saw this turkey at 9th St. and Park Avenue this morning at about 9:00 AM while I was biking to work. I didn’t have a camera though!
I saw the turkey this morning walking down Washington avenue! Nobody at work would believe me. Here’s my proof!
I didn’t see this particular one. But I did see a turkey downtown on 2nd Ave when I was riding the bus to work. I thought I was seeing things until the guy asked if that big bird was a peacock.
I see one every other day walking down the frontage road parallel to Hiawatha just north of the Minnehaha Dog Park along the river. I saw her stop the Hennepin County sheriff once. She wouldn’t get out of the road. He got out of his car to shoo her away but she wouldn’t budge. I swear he put his hand on his pistol and thought about it. It was funny.
I saw three wild turkeys in a south Minneapolis yard connected to Minnehaha Parkway last weekend. I suspect they roam along the creek and venture into yards to pilfer some birdseed.
Those three in by the creek may have taken up residence in So. Mpls ! I saw 2 females and 1 tom last fall near the Nicollet Ave bridge that goes over the creek, my brother had one is his yard last week and they were also spotted by another recently – all within 6 block radius. I was surprised at my first sighting last year – it was a lone female strolling around the Federal Reserve Bank.
Next thing you know, people will be spotting … wait for it … cougars prowling downtown.
Per the DNR website:
“Minnesota’s wild turkey population is expanding north and west. It has grown from just a few birds in the early 1970s to more than 30,000 today.”
From a few to 30,000 in 30 years? Soon, we will be overrun by the wild turkeys. One has already put a dent in my car.
I wonder if this is the same turkey I saw running on the guardrail of the south-bound side of the 35W bridge yesterday evening. It was weird.
Now I’m starvin. We got any trucky sandwiches around here.
Saw one crossing at Lowry and Central in NE Mpls about a month ago.
I feel sorry for these birds when they wind up in the city. . .
They do taste darn good, though.
We’ve had up to 11 them in our yard pilfering the birdseed and looking for some, errr.. Wild Turkey to wash it down with!
The three I saw were all hens. No toms, though i’m not sure if i know what a jake looks like.
I saw the turkey on my way home from work at the U yesterday (3/18/09). I was on the bus and the turkey was walking next to a building on its way towards 7 corners area.
My parents live in the northeast metro and they have a good 50+ wild turkey that roam around their neighborhood. It seems it goes in waves for animal invasion in that area. Goes from deer to bunnies, squirrels and turkey.
Kinda cool to see these animals up close.
If a wild turkey is in your own yard can you kill it and have it for dinner or is there some law about killing it? They don’t move all that fast so I was thinking you wouldn’t even need a firearm, you could probably bop it over the head.
I am not sure about that. I was told that wild turkey is pretty much all dark meat. I may be wrong on that.
I bet you could use a bow and arrow to shoot them and that way you are not discharging a firearm within city limits.
I saw a female turkey Wednesday evening 3/18 just off the west bank campus of the U of M she was walking along washington ave heading west towards 7 corners and appeared to have come up from the river flats.
You can’t get the turkey in your yard, no matter what means, outside of Turkey season, which is not open yet. That said, if you get the chance legally, they are very tasty. Jakes look like small toms, with smaller beards!!
They are however very fast and you would not be able to “just bop it on the head”
I’m pretty sure that you need to follow MN Statutes regarding hunting. That would mean you need a license and/or permit and hunt in designated areas. And Mpls is definately not one of those.
That is true, they are very fast. That might be one of the reasons Ben Franklin wanted the turkey, not the bald eagle, as the national bird.
I saw a skunk downtown once. Thought I must be mistaken, until it sprayed my car.
Who knew there was so much urban wild life?
(And,yes, wild turkey is all dark meat and can be dry if prepared incorrectly, but it is very tasty when done just right.)
Yesterday morning along Hiawatha at the Lake Street Light Rail station I saw a wild turkey right along side the road in the overflow parking lot for the light rail.
I hope that Minneapolis is more “turkey friendly” than Maple Grove. I saw “Fred” often along a busy street. The city decided that it just wasn’t right, so they had him shot.
They’ve been drawn here by the King Turkey: Norm Coleman!
Myself and co-workers saw a turkey Tuesday over in Seward and were suprised, wonder if it was the same one?
There is a female wild turkey who is always alone, and has lived in Minnehaha Falls Park all winter. I grew concerned because she fearlessly approaches cars and likes to hang in the middle of the road. I have gotten out of my car several times to chase her back into the park. I haven’t seen her in about a week and wonder if she went shopping downtown today. I hope not. I have taken several photographs of her in the park. What I don’t understand is it appears the other turkeys that she was most likely with in the fall, traveled a little farther south for the winter (not way south but it’s my understanding that the turkeys will move a little farther south within Minnnesota for the winter, but not sure on this) just not sure why she stayed here when turkeys are social creatures and typically move in groups. I thought that there was something wrong with this bird, so I contacted the Raptor Center (even though she’s not a raptor). They were unable to offer any help because of this. I wish I could capture her and take her to Millville, MN, it’s a veritable wild turkey sanctuary down there.
Robin asks if you can knock off the turkey in your yard and roast it. Nope. Game birds can be taken only during designated seasons, by specified means, the hunter in possession of a license. There is a lottery for turkey licenses.
She was strutting south on Snelling Ave
@ E 32nd St., 11 am, Monday morning. Figured she came in for the parade. Wonder if she took light rail to get into the loop.
Jim, per my previous entry, what do you know about wild turkeys that fly solo (so to speak) rather than stay with the group, what causes that behavior? It seems you normally see a group of turkeys rather than one that goes it alone. Also, do these birds travel to southern MN for the winter??
I drive through Minnehaha Park Monday through Friday and am disappointed if I don’t see my favorite turkey there. There are also a whole bunch (flock, gathering, gaggle – what is the word for turkeys?) across Highway 5 at the airport. They have been strutting their stuff and showing their tail feathers. It must be spring!
Hey Buba, the turkey is actually ‘Hi, I’m Al Franken!’s press secretary… it seems the ‘bad’ comedian is out to soften his image…
I’ve been seeing turkeys everywhere this year–for the first time ever. So exciting to welcome nature back–but is there a birder’s explanation for why these are suddenly urban birds? I’d welcome a story from Jim Williams that provides an insight into this.
There were several mornings this week that a wild turkey was walking all around the area of Snelling Ave S. and Lake Street. A couple of us here at work took a few pictures. It was a little odd but nice to see something unexpected in this area. I would guess it is probably the same turkey but who knows…it sounds like there are many more Turkeys around then i would have guessed.
My friend saw a turkey in Powderhorn this week, and I saw one last spring in the Merriam Park neighborhood of St. Paul. They were not introduced to Minnesota, but reintroduced awhile ago after having been killed off by our ancestors. I assume they (like raccoons, coyotes, deer, etc.) are getting comfortable around people and are finding what they need in the modified habitat we’ve created.
Huh! I hope this turkey does not meet the fate of Fred, a wild turkey that used to hang around Maple Grove. Death at the hands of the authorities.
Why did the turkey cross the road? Just to show the racoons it could be done.
[...] days there’s more wildlife downtown than what you can find in the bars and nightclubs. Thursday morning on his way to work, Star [...]
My wife has seen them on the river side of the Guthrie. I assume they live by the river, and probably wander downtown from there.
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