HUDSON HEIGHTS —Uptown’s unlikely neighbor has flown the coop.
A wild turkey that had made a Washington Heights fire escape landing its home over the weekend reportedly flew away after dozens of residents stopped by to capture its visit on their camera phones.
“Sometimes they just park themselves somewhere for a little while,” said Richard Gentles, a spokesman for the city's Animal Care and Control. Gentles said the agency had planned to leave the bird alone.
“We typically just encourage everyone to coexist and appreciate the nature around them in cases like these.”
The bird had become a minor celebrity as it quietly resided on a fire escape at the Hudson View Gardens complex on the corner of West 183rd Street and Pinehurst Avenue in the Hudson Heights section of Washington Heights since Friday evening.
As with other wild animals of its kind, including the a cat stranded on Governor's Island, a seal that washed ashore at the Dyckman Marina and a cobra that went missing from the Bronx Zoo, a Twitter account in the turkey's name was created late Monday afternoon.
“#TurkeyWaHi is on the move. Later Pinehurst,” read @TurkeyWahi after sources say the bird had reportedly flown away.
Residents said they were excited to see a bird of its magnitude in the area, but were pleased to know it was likely safe.
“I live near there, and stopped to see the bird. Very serene and seemed ok with the crowd below who were all taking pictures,” wrote Washington Heights resident Barbara Kennedy on Facebook. “Nice addition to the area.”
