Seeing turkeys roaming around the Denver metro area? Here's why
The Arapahoe County Government said animal services has been receiving several reports of turkeys roaming the neighborhood, which isn't uncommon for the majority of counties in the area, especially around early spring when turkeys are in mating season.
Colorado farmers market guide: Opening dates and locations
The government said that around this time, toms, male turkeys, gather a 'harem' of hens.
'It's completely normal, even in the city,' said Arapahoe County Animal Services Field Supervisor Alyssa Haden in the government's Facebook post.
Residents are also more likely to see turkeys in the spring and through summer because of new building developments and local turkey population growths. This population growth comes from decades of restoration efforts.
Turkeys are native to Colorado, but they weren't always so common. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, during the Great Depression, only about 30,000 turkeys existed on the continent. Around the 1980s, a restoration effort began, bringing them back into Colorado.
Over 40 years, the restoration efforts grew the population to about 40,000 turkeys across Colorado, making it the largest population in state history in 2020, according to CPW.
Denver museum vintage shirt featured in Tom Hanks' new movie now for sale
While it's more likely that people are seeing more and more turkeys over the past few decades, it's also expected to see them around early spring.
The government said that, like any wildlife, if someone sees a turkey, it should be observed from a distance. People shouldn't approach, feed or follow the turkey. Meanwhile, people should keep shiny objects and bird feed out of reach as they are known to attract turkeys.
People should report concerns about injured, aggressive or sick turkeys to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Photos of renovations at the Federal Reserve's Great Depression-era headquarters
Federal Reserve Restoration Tour WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalists got a close-up view of renovations at the Federal Reserve as part of a government-led tour of the Great Depression-era headquarters in Washington. This is a photo gallery curated by Associated Press photo editors. Solve the daily Crossword

Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
My grandmother had 10 children and not a lot of money. She taught me how to live on a tight budget as a single mom.
My grandmother had 10 children, but they were always well-fed and had a happy home. She loved to go thrift shopping and never wasted any food. She taught me how to make a great life for my son as a single mom. I often think of one sentence from my late grandmother's obituary: "She kept her 10 children fed and clothed." Yes, she had 10 children, but what's mesmerizing about this statement is that she always made sure her children had what they needed. As a former single mom of just one boy, I know firsthand that keeping your children fed, clothed, and taken care of is no small feat. Once I had my own son, I was blessed to spend a lot of time with my grandmother, as we both lived in the same area for the first time. I saw her several times a week, often for lunch or dinner visits. On Sundays and holidays, she typically had our family over for dinner. I observed all of the ways in which she made these daily meals, visits, and holidays special without having a lot of money. She showed me that buying secondhand could help stretch a small budget My grandmother loved frequenting thrift stores and yard sales so that most of her clothes and furniture were found items. In retirement, she volunteered at the local thrift store and always bought things for her children and grandchildren, frequently asking us if there was anything we needed. The toys she found for my son often became his favorite, while the gently used clothing she picked up for him helped me always keep my son in well-fitting clothes. When I moved into my own home, we scoured yard sales together and found my dining room table and even a lawn mower for my new yard. I had a handful of Christmases as a mom that were tough money-wise. I found myself using my experience thrifting with my grandmother to find unique gifts, such as a vintage Coca-Cola snow globe and a collector's Batman and Joker set. My son didn't know they weren't brand new. To him, they were just treasures that he still has. She fed us all well with so little in her kitchen When it came to putting a meal together, I still marvel at the way my grandmother could create something cozy and plentiful with very little on hand. Dinners were adorned with plates of pickles and olives, saltines and butter, and linen napkins. These small things helped meals feel more like an event and also gave the impression of an abundance of food. She earned a reputation for never letting anything go to waste, a habit she developed growing up on a farm during the Great Depression. Leftovers were reworked into meals the next day, and there was never anything too small to save, whether half of an apple or just one clove of garlic. I saw that it didn't take much money to make a house feel like a home. Even the ordinary day felt special if you were visiting with her. Sure, her decorations were small acts of love, but she was also attentive. She really made the point to see how you were doing and was hospitable, always offering a cookie or another cup of coffee. I found myself resorting to her secrets when money got tight As a single mom on a small budget, I caught myself using the same tricks I had picked up from my grandmother. My son's birthday parties, for instance, were often decorated with found items around the home — tablecloths, flowers, and decorative dishware. For holidays, I focused on the traditions we could build that cost next to nothing but emphasized togetherness, such as making festive cutout cookies or taking Christmas light drives around the neighborhood. I ensured holidays were never about the quantity of gifts, but the thought put into them. My grandmother always got me one present for my birthday or Christmas, but it would be something special, often useful, and timeless. Because of her, I knew how to provide my son I struggled with wanting to provide for my son without having a lot of money. I never wanted him to feel like he was lacking in anything. In many ways, my grandmother showed me how to create an illusion of plenty. It didn't matter that I relied on used goods or had to find ways to spread the groceries out because my son never noticed. He was always fed and clothed well. Most of all, he felt safe. His home was warm, welcoming, and decorated to cheer up our day-to-day lives. I was always there for him, offering to be a Lego buddy or seeing if he needed a snack. My grandmother's ways showed me that I didn't need a lot of money to take care of my son. I just needed to be there for him, with the right attitude and creative ingenuity.


USA Today
6 days ago
- USA Today
Gray wolf pups seen on Colorado trail cam. What to know about 3 new wolf packs
The new packs are known as the King Mountain Pack in Routt County, the One Ear Pack in Jackson County and the Three Creeks Pack in Rio Blanco County. Wildlife officials in Colorado have reported three new gray wolf packs as part of the state's plan to rebuild populations in the area, and shared footage of three pups captured on a trail camera. Colorado Parks and Wildlife made the announcement on Thursday, July 17, sharing video of three gray wolf pups in Routt County, part of northwestern Colorado. In the footage, the pups appear to scratch their ears, rest a bit and playfully bite one another. The new packs are known as King Mountain Pack in Routt County, One Ear Pack in Jackson County and Three Creeks Pack in Rio Blanco County. According to the department, officials recognize wolf packs once a breeding pair has given birth to pups. The department said staff members have seen pups at multiple dens, although the total pup count has yet to be confirmed. It can be difficult for wildlife officials to account for the pups during late spring or early summer because they are small, live in habitats with dense cover and they may spend time underground, the department said. "Successful pack formation is vital to our wolf restoration plan – not just for bolstering Colorado's wolf population, but also for developing pack territories," the department said. "Defined territories help to monitor and better predict wolf behaviors." More wolves will be relocated to Colorado during the winter of 2025 to 2026, officials said. Staff members are scheduling consultations with stakeholders in the planned release zone. The ups and downs of Colorado wolf populations Gray wolves were reintroduced to Colorado in 2023 and then again in 2025, but the move has been criticized because of the threat wolves pose to livestock and people. The day the footage of the pups was shared, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission awarded two Colorado ranchers nearly $200,000 in wolf depredation compensation claims, reported the Coloradoan, part of the USA TODAY Network. A lawyer for one rancher said her client reported 89 missing and dead calves in 2024 and averaged 92 over the three years prior. How are officials making sure wolf populations don't create conflict? Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in this month's update that it has made efforts to minimize conflict as wildlife and livestock movements change with the seasons. These efforts have evolved, the department said. One way the department is minimizing conflict is by having range riders present for animals in open range. Range riders look out for predators, monitor livestock health and track wildlife. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has nine range riders focusing on areas with concentrated wolf activity; they can move to other areas if need be, though. The department said it is also investigating cases where wolves do harm other animals, and works with the Colorado Department of Agriculture for carcass removal, including in remote areas. Colorado officials: 5 wolves dead since January 2025, but that's no reason to stop the program There have been five wolf deaths since January 2025, Eric Odell, the department's Wolf Conservation program manager said in the update. Two of the deaths were reported in Wyoming, while three were in Colorado. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will determine the cause of death for these wolves since they are from a protected species under the Endangered Species Act. "We knew from the early stages of planning wolf restoration that there would be some level of mortality amongst translocated gray wolves," Odell said. "The mortality that has been experienced by the wolf population this year is not a reason to pause translocation efforts." Colorado Parks and Wildlife said that soon, the program will hire a Wolf Damage and Conflict Minimization Manager. The individual hired will help support the program's primary goal, in addition to making sure things go smoothly when working with other agencies. Contributing: Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY & Miles Blumhardt, The Coloradoan Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@