Van Cortlandt Park

The Daily Plant : Monday, November 24, 2003

LET'S TALK TURKEY:
WILD TURKEYS IN NEW YORK CITY PARKS

This Thursday, families across the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving, most of them by eating a turkey. New York City is filled with skyscrapers, world-renowned museums, millions of people, and…wild turkeys.

Wild turkey populations live in various parks across New York City, including Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan, the Greenbelt in Staten Island. Recently, a single wild turkey has been spotted in Manhattan’s Riverside Park and Battery Park. It’s unclear whether it’s the same bird, but either way, it is making friends with its new neighbors.

Based on research conducted by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, wild turkeys were abundant in the 1600’s. Wild turkeys generally live in large flocks, sometimes as large as 70. The male wild turkey, also called a gobbler, has bright feathers that can change color, while the female has brown feathers. The male turkey also has a beard that hangs down from its breast that can be as long as 16 inches. Female wild turkeys, or hens, weigh between 8 and 12 pounds, while the gobbler can weigh as much as 22 pounds.

Interestingly, the "gobble" noise commonly associated with turkeys is just one of 28 different calls. Other calls include the yelp, cluck, puff, and kee-kee. Wild turkeys are also impressive movers. They can fly as fast as 55 mph and run as fast as 12 mph.

As Thanksgiving approaches and we feast on turkey, everyone should keep their eyes out from the spotted turkey in Riverside Park, suspected to be a female. New York City is filled with animal and plant wildlife and there is lots to see and learn from in our parks.

Weekday closings of Central Park drives will be suspended starting Monday, November 24, 2003 through Wednesday, December 31, 2003. The Central Park drives will remain open all day on weekdays during this period. The Central Park drives will be closed on weekends and legal New York City holidays during this period, as usual: the drives close on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and open at 6:00 a.m. Monday morning. On legal NYC holidays, the drives close at 7:00 p.m. the night before the holiday and re-open at 6:00 a.m. the morning after the holiday.

Weekday closings of Prospect Park drives will be suspended starting Monday, November 24, 2003 through Friday, January 16, 2004. The Prospect Park drives will remain open all day on weekdays during this period from 7:00 a.m. Mondays until 7:00 p.m. Fridays. The Prospect Park drives will be closed on weekends and legal New York City holidays during this period with the following schedule: the drives close on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and open at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning. On legal NYC holidays, the drives close at 7:00 p.m. the night before the holiday and re-open at 7:00 a.m. the morning after the holiday.

"There be none of Beauty’s daughters

With a magic like thee;

And like music on the waters

Is thy sweet voice to me."

(1788-1824)