Feature writing

The adventures of Astoria — hopping Manhattan rooftops and outwitting police — have been thrilling New Yorkers

The child had one question as Astoria the wild turkey, New York City’s latest wildlife superstar, tottered gingerly outside an Upper East Side apartment building: “What’s she doing here?”

Stella Hamilton, a long-time Astoria observer, said: “She’s trying to find a mate.”

Then she sighed at the beautiful bird. “Oh honey, you’re not going to find him here. Go up into that tree and be safe.”

With New Yorkers always ready to cheer on an unusual creature loose in the Big Apple — like Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl — the adventures of Astoria have been a thrilling, if nail-biting, distraction from more dire daily news.

Like many a celebrity, Astoria is camera-ready on occasion and sometimes camera-shy. She has been trying to find food, with onlookers bringing her unsalted peanuts, water and superworms.

She has dodged traffic and evaded efforts by the New York police department’s (NYPD) emergency service unit to capture her. She has flown from tree to tree, tip-toed across roofs, swooped down to forage, wandered the city’s sidewalks — and been gawped at and photographed by fans.

“Astoria is at risk as long as she stays in Manhattan,” said David Barrett of Manhattan Bird Alert, whose @BirdCentralPark X account has been tracking Astoria’s adventures. “People should leave her alone and not call the cops, because attempts to catch her stress her out and could lead to her rushing into traffic.”

Sara Cheriskin, a resident nearby, said: “The NYPD closed off this entire street earlier and spritzed her with water, but they couldn’t catch her.” She revealed Astoria’s trajectory that day: flying from balconies to rooftops to trees and now the little garden outside the Manhattan apartment block.

People chancing upon the scene quietly took pictures and delightedly exclaimed things like, “oh my god, it’s that turkey!” and “you stay safe, girl!”

The last wild turkey in the city to attract similar attention was Zelda, a resident of Battery park from 2003 until her death in 2014 after a collision with a vehicle. Astoria’s New York story began in April last year when she was sighted in Long Island City, Queens. By early May, she had flown to midtown Manhattan.

Around the middle of that month, she flew to the East River’s Roosevelt Island — where she stayed until last Sunday, before suddenly returning to Manhattan.

“Astoria had been going further south on Roosevelt Island than ever before, making her mating call,” said Barrett. “But there aren’t any male wild turkey there, or in Manhattan. So, sadly, like so many single New Yorkers, she’s only going to find disappointment here.”

On Tuesday the NYPD said it had attended an incident after Astoria “was observed running in traffic” in the vicinity of 59th Street and First Avenue. “The turkey flew away from the location. There were no injuries reported.”

The NYPD did not return requests for comment about how it intended to capture Astoria and what it would do if they were successful.
Keiko Komiya, who has observed and photographed Astoria on Roosevelt Island and in Manhattan, once saw her trying to join a flock of geese but be rejected. “If they do catch her, perhaps it would be best for her to be released north of NYC in a forested area where there are flocks of turkeys.”

Hamilton said: “She’s afraid, but at least she’s finishing the peanuts.” Watching Astoria wander back and forth in the tiny patch of green, she added: “Let’s give her some privacy.”