Meet Tom, a beloved wild turkey who stops traffic and terrorizes a South Jersey community

When traffic suddenly stops on a busy stretch of Clements Bridge Road in Deptford, honking motorists may find an unusual culprit: Tom, a wild turkey, who has become a beloved fixture in the South Jersey community, despite his antics.

The feathered beast has taken up residence in the suburban Gloucester County town where the habitat and plentiful supply of food from neighbors make ideal living conditions. Neighbors believe the bird has been around for several years.

After near-extinction nearly a century ago, the wild turkey has made a comeback in New Jersey, with about 20,000 birds statewide, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The flocks typically show up where they are not wanted in the densely populated state. They take over yards, stop traffic, and peck cars when they see their own reflection and mistakenly believe it’s another turkey.

In Deptford, the turkey named Tom (a nod to the name for adult male turkeys) has become somewhat of a celebrity bird — albeit a nuisance at times. There have been lots of reported sightings and encounters with Tom, who roams the streets with confidence — even days before Thanksgiving.

The turkey regularly shows up at DHY Motorsports, where employees put corn out for him and hang toys in the trees to give him something to peck rather than cars. They rush outside to shoo him from the roadway and protect him from getting struck by motorists.

“He’s a menace,” receptionist Kristin Coryell said with a chuckle. “We absolutely love him.”

The turkey boldly strutted in the roadway on Saturday afternoon, bringing traffic to a halt. He seemed unbothered when motorists honked their horns and yelled out the window. He tried to peck a few car tires as cars slowly maneuvered around him.

When he’s not pecking cars or stopping traffic, Coryell said the turkey chases customers and employees in the Motorshop parking lot and at deli market across the street. She ran around her car once when the turkey prevented her from getting inside, she said.

Wild turkeys can be a nuisance, but generally pose no real threat to humans, said Jimmy Sloan, the upland game bird biologist for the Department of Environmental Protection. During mating season in the spring, the males may fan their tail, puff up, and drag their wings as a sign to females and to scare off other Toms, he said.

Deptford police regularly get phone calls about the wayward turkey, said Det. Sgt. Bob Jones, a police spokesman. Some residents want the bird removed and relocated to a less populated area. Others want to keep him safe in an area that he evidently loves.

“He’s been here for a while,” Coryell said. “He seems happy. Apparently, he likes it here.”

Neighbors worry that the bird, also known as Fred by some, could be snatched for Thanksgiving dinner. But Tom is protected from legal hunting — at least for now. New Jersey’s fall harvest season, which requires a license, ended earlier this month.

Sloan said the state, which carefully manages the wild turkey population, will sometimes trap and relocate a flock of wild turkeys causing major property damage. The state usually will not remove just one or two birds in a town, he said.

“There’s no reason to be afraid. They’re harmless,” Sloan said.

Sloan said wild turkeys are social birds and rarely hang out alone. He expects Tom will join a flock and leave the area when the weather turns cold.

Neighbors say Tom had a female companion, at one point, but she has not been seen recently. Male turkeys, or gobblers, are polygamous and typically have a harem of hens, biologists say. They are only interested in breeding, and the hens raise the young without them.

New Jersey’s wild turkey population was once nearly extinct, largely as development destroyed their natural habitat, Sloan said. The state started an intensive restoration project in 1977, released about two dozen birds in the wild, and now has an abundant wild turkey population, he said.

The birds are found in all 21 counties in New Jersey, and they can weigh up to 20 pounds.

About 3,000 wild turkeys are harvested annually. The next harvest season is in April.

While the sound of a “gobble gobble” is often associated with Thanksgiving, it typically is heard in the spring. Tom Turkeys gobble to stake out their territory and warn any nearby males that the hens in the area belong to them. Toms may gobble at other times, usually in response to a loud noise.

Hens don’t gobble, but instead make a yelping sound to respond to the Tom turkey. Her high-pitched cackle lets the male know that she is interested in mating.

Wild turkeys are lured to suburbia by bird feeders and seeded yards, Sloan said. Mature birds enjoy nuts, berries, and insects, he said.

“People love feeding them,” Sloan said.

And people love eating them, too (except for Deptford’s beloved Tom). Sloan said wild turkey makes a delicious meal — when the bird is in harvest season. The bird has minimal fat, he said.

“It’s not a butterball from ShopRite. The breast meat is phenomenal,” he said.