Wild turkeys are a common sight in Wauwatosa. The birds often flock together in large groups as they traverse the city, attracting gawkers and often bringing traffic to a stop. On a recent morning, more than a dozen turkeys strutted along a sidewalk on West Watertown Plank Road.
At another time, a group of turkeys slowly made their way across a hilly section of North 70th Street, temporarily blocking traffic in both directions, before stopping to rest in a nearby yard.
The so-called “Tosa Turkeys” have become so well-known in the community that they even have their own Facebook pages where residents log their sightings.
But the turkeys have also been the source of complaints from residents and workers in the city. Some even claim they’ve come under attack by the gobblers and hens that have made their home in Wauwatosa.
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The turkeys and their continuing presence throughout Wauwatosa have also caught the attention of city leaders, who recently adopted an ordinance that bans the feeding of most wild animals, including turkeys. The ordinance, which took effect this month, is adapted from existing state law from the Department of Natural Resources and allows for local enforcement within the city.
“We enjoy wildlife, we want to co-exist and we also want to minimize negative interactions with them,” said Eva Ennamorato, communications manager for the City of Wauwatosa.
Mayor Dennis McBride pushed for the ordinance. He argued that it’s needed as a way of regulating turkeys and other wildlife that have been causing problems. At a Community Affairs Committee meeting in March, McBride said he has received a “deluge” of comments from residents concerning turkeys.
Cracking down on the feeding of wildlife had become necessary, in part, because the city had discovered that turkeys have “attacked” mail carriers and delivery drivers in certain neighborhoods.
“The manager of Outpost Foods also called me one day and said not only are my customers getting attacked in the parking lot but the turkeys are trying to enter the store,” McBride said.
At the neighboring Metro Market, video captured people spreading corn in the parking to attract the turkeys, he added.
“This can’t continue,” McBride said.
While insisting that the city needed a code that prohibits the type of feeding of wildlife that has caused issues, he noted that some exceptions should be made, particularly when it comes to birdfeeders, which he admitted to having on his property.
Wauwatosa Health Department Officer Laura Stephens told the committee that city’s work focuses on spreading the word about preventing the feeding of wildlife, such as through social media, the Wauwatosa website and neighborhood newsletters.
“That’s the lane we like to stay in,” she said.
Being forced to turn to “elimination” of turkeys isn’t the desire of the city, Stephens said.
Wisconsin allows the hunting of turkeys in limited numbers in the spring. Outside of hunting season, requests can be made to the DNR for a permit to allow for the removal of turkeys deemed to be a nuisance. The permit allows for the turkeys to be relocated or killed.
In 2022, the DNR issued a nuisance permit for the city of Wauwatosa, which was used to hire contractors to kill three turkeys deemed “aggressive” with the meat being donated to local food pantries.
The slaughter of the turkeys led to online petition that generated hundreds of signatures accusing the city, the Wauwatosa Health Department and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources of an “abandonment of public trust” and said the killings were “unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Supporters of the ordinance argue that it is needed to protect natural habitats, noting that feeding wildlife can cause harm to animals and the ecosystem. Feeding wildlife can disrupt natural feeding patterns and lead to overpopulation in certain areas and can also cause animals to become dependent on human-provided food, which can make them more vulnerable to disease and other health issues, they said.
The city acknowledged that turkeys, coyotes and other wildlife are a valuable part of the community but noted that intentional feeding of wild animals can cause them to lose fear of humans, resulting in habitation at close distances, which can increase the risks of a negative interaction or aggressive behavior.
There are exceptions to the ordinance when it comes to feeding wildlife, including:
- Bird feeders as long as the feeding device is at a certain height or designed in a way to prevent access by deer.
- Crops planted and left standing.
- The feeding of deer with less than 2 gallons of feeding material within 50 yards of any owner-occupied residence or business.
- Authorized initiatives such as the Humane Society’s trap, neuter and return program, under which feeding of animals would be permitted in conjunction with such an effort.
Ennamorato said there’s not a plan for active enforcement at this time of the prohibition on feeding wildlife.
“Our health department proactively works with residents and businesses on education,” she said.
At the last month’s committee meeting, Wauwatosa Police Captain Luke Vetter noted that the ordinance allows various city employees to perform enforcement measures.
“As far as citizens being concerned about police enforcement, we have community service officers now and this is exactly the type of thing that we wouldn’t spend law enforcement officer time on but would be perfect for our community service officers,” Vetter said. “We wouldn’t be proactively looking for these violations but as we receive complaints, we would assign them out for the community service officers to check on.”
