Talking turkey: These folks are getting a bit tired of it

BOSTON — Not everyone is celebrating the return of the wild turkeys.

After being wiped out from New England in the 1800s, the birds have stormed back in what’s considered a major success story for wildlife restoration. But as they spread farther into urban areas, they’re increasingly clashing with residents who say they destroy gardens, damage cars, chase pets and attack people.

Complaints about troublesome turkeys have surged in Boston and its suburbs over the past few years, causing headaches for police and health officials called to handle problems, according to city and town records.

Boston city officials say they received at least 60 complaints last year, a threefold increase over the year before. Nearby Somerville, Belmont and Brookline have seen similar upticks, combining for a total of 137 turkey gripes since the start of last year.

“Several years ago it was more of an isolated situation here and there,” said David Scarpitti of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. “Now it’s starting to spread into communities all around Boston.”

Often the grievance is little more than a wayward turkey blocking traffic. But in at least five cases, turkeys have become so aggressive that police said they had to shoot them as a matter of public safety.

Turkeys in the wild are far stronger and faster than the ones that land on Thanksgiving tables, experts say. Males in particular are driven to show physical aggression as a way to climb the social pecking order, and they sometimes view humans as potential competitors.

In the town of Brookline, Tess Bundy has come to loathe the turkeys that roost behind her home. She called police in April after a big tom repeatedly launched itself at her and her infant daughter, backing down only after Bundy whacked it several times with a shovel.

“They’re terrible. Every year they’re worse,” Bundy said. “I really do think that they’re a menace to the town.”

Officials in Brookline recently issued new guidance for fowl encounters, telling residents to “step toward the turkey and act confidently.”