Wild Turkeys Not Fans of USPS

By Margaret Lyons in News on Apr 7, 2008 8:56PM

Postal workers near Madison, Wisconsin are facing a new nuisance while trying to deliver the mail: wild turkeys. The birds have started attacking letter carriers by pecking them, poking them with their legs, and scratching them.

Color plays an important role in turkey breeding, [Eric Lobner, regional wildlife program supervisor for the state Department of Natural Resources] said, with the color of the male's head during mating season changes from gaudy blue to white to red. Lobner speculated that perhaps the turkeys are attracted to the red, white and blue postal trucks.

Postal workers were armed with water pistols. But Lober said that, while the squirts of water worked for a while, the turkeys now seem accustomed to it.

Yikes. [Trib]