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These Turkeys Aren't For Thanksgiving Dinner, But They're Making Themselves At Home In More Neighborhoods

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — "They can be aggressive and territorial," said a hiker near the American River.

He and many others have come across wild turkeys with an attitude.

"One of them started pecking at the tires of her car and didn't want her to go anywhere," explained the hiker.

The turkeys have been reported eating plants in Fair Oaks, cracking roof tiles in Folsom, and leaving their mark on cars parked outside.

"They just chipped into this paint, and now it's all flaking off," explained a woman in Folsom, pointing out the scratch marks on her car.

Wild turkeys infiltrating the suburbs is on the rise.

"In these urban areas, the populations are going up because they're protected," said Paul Tebble with the Effie Yeaw Nature Center.

He says the turkeys have fewer predators in the suburbs.

According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, wild turkey populations that are hunted are actually on the decline.

"I think what you're seeing is a decrease in hunt-able turkeys in certain areas where habitat is probably disappearing," explained Tebble.

The wild world is clashing with urban sprawl and its working in the turkey's favor.

"The problem is we really don't have any way of controlling their populations," said Tebble.

Communities, like Davis, are dealing with turkey troubles with removal.

"Every time they would move they would gobble and threaten them," said John McNerney, the Davis wildlife resource specialist.

The Davis City Council issued a wild turkey management plan to remove troublesome turkeys and relocate them to Yuba County.

"We have 25 fewer birds now, which is a great start," said McNerney.

It's only a matter of time before more neighborhoods take action against the giant gobblers.

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