Meet Tom, the beloved wild turkey who stops traffic and terrorizes the people of South Jersey

When traffic comes to a sudden halt on a busy stretch of Clements Bridge Road in Deptford, honking drivers may encounter an unlikely culprit: Tom, the wild turkey who, despite his eccentricities, has become a beloved fixture in the South Jersey community.

The furry beast has settled in the suburban town of Gloucester County, where habitat and abundant food from neighbors create ideal living conditions. Neighbors think the bird has been around for several years.

Afterwards endangered Almost a century ago, wild turkeys made a comeback in New Jersey, with nearly 20,000 birds statewide, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Swarms often appear where they are not wanted, in densely populated states. They take over yards, stop traffic, and peck at cars when they see their own reflection, mistakenly believing it’s another turkey.

In Deptford, a turkey named Tom (a reference to the name of adult male turkeys) has become something of a famous bird, albeit an occasional nuisance. There were reportedly numerous sightings and encounters with Tom safely roaming the streets even a few days before Thanksgiving.

Turkey appears regularly DHY MotorsportsEmployees handed out popcorn for him and hung toys on trees to give him something to peck at instead of a car. They run outside to get him off the road and avoid being hit by drivers.

“He’s a threat,” receptionist Kristin Coryell said with a chuckle. “We absolutely love it.”

Türkiye bravely showed off on the highway on Saturday afternoon, bringing traffic to a halt. He didn’t seem bothered by the drivers honking their horns and shouting out the window. He tried to peck at a few car tires as he slowly maneuvered around the cars.

When he wasn’t pecking at cars or stopping traffic, Coryell said the turkey was chasing customers and employees in the Motorshop parking lot and the deli market across the street. He said he once ran around his car when a turkey blocked him from getting inside.

Upland game bird biologist Jimmy Sloan said wild turkeys can be a nuisance but generally don’t pose a real threat to humans. Department of Environmental Protection. During mating season in the spring, males may wag their tails, puff up and drag their wings as a signal to females and to scare other Toms, he said.

Deptford police regularly receive calls about the stubborn turkey, said Det. Sergeant. Bob Jones, police spokesman. Some residents want the bird removed and moved to a less populated area. Others want to keep him safe in an area he clearly loves.

“He’s been here for a while,” Coryell said. “He looks happy. He seems to like it here.”

Neighbors worry the bird, also known to some as Fred, might be smuggled in for Thanksgiving dinner. But Tom is protected from legal hunting, at least for now. New Jersey’s license-requiring fall harvest season ended earlier this month.

What to know about wild turkeys in New Jersey

Sloan said the state, which carefully manages its wild turkey population, sometimes traps a flock of wild turkeys and moves them to another location, causing major property damage. He said the state typically won’t remove just one or two birds from a town.

“There’s no reason to be afraid. They’re harmless,” Sloan said.

Sloan said wild turkeys are social birds and rarely hang out alone. When the weather gets colder, he expects Tom to join a herd and leave the area.

Neighbors say Tom once had a female friend, but she hasn’t been seen recently. Biologists say male turkeys are polygamous and often have a harem of chickens. They are only interested in breeding, and chickens raise chicks without them.

New Jersey’s wild turkey population was once nearly extinct, largely because development destroyed their natural habitat, Sloan said. The state began an intensive restoration project in 1977, releasing about two dozen birds into the wild and now has a bountiful wild turkey population, he said.

The birds are found in all 21 counties in New Jersey and can weigh up to 20 pounds.

Approximately 3,000 wild turkeys are harvested annually. The next harvest season is in April.

Although a “gulp” sound is often associated with Thanksgiving, it is often heard in the spring. Tom Turkeys gobble to monitor their territory and warn nearby males that the chickens in the area belong to them. Toms may swallow at other times, usually in response to a loud noise.

Chickens do not swallow, instead they make a barking sound to respond to the Tom turkey. Her high-pitched giggle signals to the male that she is interested in mating.

Wild turkeys are drawn to the suburbs by bird feeders and plantation gardens, Sloan said. Adult birds enjoy berries, nuts and insects, he said.

“People love to feed them,” Sloan said.

And people love to eat them too (except Deptford’s beloved Tom). Sloan said wild turkey makes a delicious meal when the bird is in harvest season. He said the bird had very little fat.

“This is not a butter ball from ShopRite. “The brisket is outstanding,” he said.