There is a population of turkeys living in the bushland near my house in
Brisbane. A male has a substantial mound between a council access track and a
row of houses near a gully. The mound has produced a number of “runners” this
summer.
I have had previous experience with nesting turkeys (I had a productive mound
in my backyard at a different property) and had not noticed any aggressive
behaviour (outside of inter-turkey relations). In the case of this mound,
however, on several occasions while I was walking my dog (on a lead) along the
council track, the custodial male has approached us - from the side or behind.
I have stopped to watch it when got to within a couple of metres. When I did
so, it would scratch sticks and stones in our direction. It was clearly
seeking to move us on. Typically it would follow us for 50 metres (outside its
raking zone). It would start scratching each time we stopped.
I initially thought it was reacting to the colour of my shirt (which was
similar to the colour of its wattle), but disproved that when it reacted while
I was wearing a different colour. I suspect it was reacting to the presence of
my dog, which from a turkey’s perspective, might look a bit like a dingo.
Has anyone else noted turkeys defending their mounds in this manner?
Regards, Laurie.
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