Turkey mating season has begun. Consider yourself warned.

Male turkeys can become territorial during this time “and may perceive humans as threats or competitors,” police said.Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff

An aggressive wild turkey chased a parking enforcement officer in Brookline into a building on Wednesday, and police warned residents to be on the lookout as the turkey mating season gets underway.

Police in Brookline, where wild turkeys are known for their boldness, said several aggressive ones were seen along Babcock Street about 8:30 a.m.

“One such report stated a turkey chased a parking enforcement officer into a building and then began pecking on the glass door!” police wrote on social media.

An animal control officer came to help the parking officer, police said.

Breeding season for wild turkeys, which MassWildlife describes as a “strikingly handsome bird,” typically lasts from March into May.

Police warn Brookline residents to be on lookout for aggressive turkeys

Brookline police alerted residents Wednesday to beware of aggressive turkeys after one chased a parking enforcement officer into a building.

Male turkeys can become territorial during this time “and may perceive humans as threats or competitors,” police said.

“They may chase, peck, or attempt to intimidate people entering what they consider their territory,” police said.

Encounters with these angry birds are hardly unique to Brookline.

In July, a wild turkey wreaked havoc on a woman’s car in Brighton, leaving it scratched and scraped. A Cambridge mail carrier had to have his hip to replaced after he was attacked by a turkey that knocked him to the ground in April 2023. Several years earlier, in April 2019, a pregnant woman in Cambridge was attacked by a group of five turkeys.

Police said people should keep a safe distance from any wild turkeys they encounter and should never feed them because it may embolden their behavior.

If an aggressive turkey pursues you, you should try to appear large by opening your coat and raising your arms while making loud noises, police said. If you happen to have an umbrella, it can be used as a shied.

Police also said to keep small children and pets close “when in known turkey areas.”

Anyone who encounters an unusually aggressive turkey can report it to the police department’s animal control office with the location, time, and description of the bird’s behavior.

“This is a temporary seasonal occurrence,” police said. “Turkey aggression typically subsides after mating season ends.”