A Massachusetts woman was the victim of automobile vandalism earlier this month when her Audi convertible suffered severe scratches to its driver's side door and body. And the culprit was one very angry bird—a wild turkey, in fact.
Alicia Mastroianni, who lives in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, was leaving for her shift at Boston Children's Hospital on July 15 when she discovered the damage. Thankfully, a bystander left a note to inform her of what had transpired.
"All sides of my car were messed up, like, completely scratched. I saw the note, I was like, 'Oh gosh, someone hit my car," Mastroianni later told Boston's WBZ News. "It says, 'I just watched and recorded a massive turkey attack your car for over 15 minutes. Sorry you were the target of this turkey rage.'"
"Oh my gosh it was just so beat up," she added.
Mastroianni reached out to the person who left the note and was able to get video footage of the attack. In addition to having proof for her insurance company, which will cover the damage, she also uploaded the clip to TikTok, where it has amassed nearly 7 million views since being posted in July 20.
"Moves to Boston… Gets car attacked by a turkey… Was not on my list of things to be prepared for in the city," she captioned the post.
@aliciamastroianni7 Moves to Boston… Gets Car Attacked by a Turkey… was not on my list of things to be prepared for in the city… @Farmers Insurance @GEICO @The Boston Globe @Boston.com @Allstate @Liberty Mutual @TODAY Show @Jimmy Fallon @NBC
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According to WBZ News, turkey attacks in the area are becoming more common, with similar attacks occurring in nearby Cambridge and Dedham. Turkeys will sometimes attack shiny objects when they see their own reflection.
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife advises against feeding wild turkeys to prevent against emboldened behavior. However, when encountering an aggressive turkey, the agency advises to scare or threaten the animal with loud noises, swatting with a broom, or water sprayed from a hose. It adds that a leashed dog can also be an effective deterrent.
