Turkeys are traditional for Thanksgiving but some folks in the San Francisco Bay Area are praying they'll disappear.
The San Francisco Chronicle says wild turkeys — first introduced into the state for hunting decades ago — are thriving in local suburbs. And while some residents embrace them, others say they're a pest.
"They can get in and do some damage to the landscaping," Tony Blackburn of Martinez said. "They kick things around and they scratch and peck."
A dozen or more wild turkeys are often seen strutting around Martinez. The birds tear up landscaping, rip screen doors and poop everywhere. Sometimes, a 20-pound male will scratch up a car trying to fight its own reflection.
Blackburn noted that turkeys have also swiped grapes from his small vineyard.
Preservationists worry that the turkey explosion will decimate native habitat.
Experts say landowners can try to dissuade the birds with loud noises and stop-motion sprinklers. If that fails, they can seek permission to kill nuisance birds.
U.S. & World
NBC Bay Area's Cheryl Hurd contributed to this report.
