This week, turkeys will be on the tables of many Boulder County residents as they feast on their Thanksgiving meals. For people who live in Lyons, however, the chance to enjoy the birds isn’t limited to the holiday season.
In Lyons, the wild turkeys that roam around town have become local celebrities. Flocks of the birds have been spotted crossing roads, walking on bridges and standing outside of stores. Sometimes they stay on the ground; other times, they flap their wings and fly to the tops of trees and roofs.
Sylvia Hodgkinson, who lives near Bohn Park, greets the turkeys when she wakes up each morning around 6 a.m. to watch the sunrise. She often spots them at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Second Avenue. She said she’s “addicted” to getting up close to the birds and filming them as they strut around.
“They’re so cute,” Hodgkinson said. “They just put a smile on my face every morning.”
Hodgkinson shares her turkey encounters with fellow wildlife enthusiasts on social media. Her videos capture the birds and their chatter from only a few feet away. Her posts about the turkeys on the typically receive several comments, she said.
“Itap so fun to show people what I see because a lot of people are still sleeping at that time,” she said.
Some families are ‘adopting’ turkeys for Thanksgiving instead of eating them
Hodgkinson has seen wild turkeys throughout her five years in Lyons, but she said they’ve been especially abundant recently. She’s noticed them daily in the area for the last couple of months.
“Right now, there are so many flocks of turkeys all around Lyons,” she said. “It just amazes me. This time of year, they’re really out more than ever.”
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer Joe Padia, who manages the Longmont district, itap not unusual to see so many wild turkeys around Boulder County in the fall. He said turkeys migrate to lower elevations this time of year to escape the snow and search for food.
Padia said the birds are most likely the Merriam’s turkey, which is native to Colorado. There are roughly 35,000 turkeys in the state, and the birds are found in most Colorado counties, according to the . Wild turkey flocks have also been seen near Allenspark, Boulder, Lafayette and Louisville.
Padia said he gets “very few” calls about the turkeys in Lyons and can’t recall hearing about them causing issues for residents. He explained that turkeys eat bugs and other pests, leading some people to view them as animals with more positives than negatives.
“I think most of the public impression with turkeys is that they’re just kind of cool to have around,” he said.
Padia said itap important to refrain from feeding the turkeys so they don’t concentrate and make it easier for diseases to spread. He’s glad that Lyons residents and other Boulder County community members have embraced the birds, though.
“A big part of what we do is try to get people outdoors and appreciate wildlife,” Padia said. “When wildlife comes to us, I think we get a lot of benefits.”
Lyons mayor Hollie Rogin said she sees turkeys walk in front of her house almost every morning.
“They add just a bunch of lightheartedness and fun,” Rogin said. “Itap a hoot to see them around town.”
