Wild turkeys slowly circle a dead cat in the street. Still from a video posted by twitter user @TheReal_JDavis
(Traditional?) wild turkey dance, updated for modern audiences with music by Rihanna. The full video, along with a not-too-convincing explanation, can be found here, on the NPR site: Turkeys Circling A Dead Cat Are Probably Wary, Not Working Dark Magic
Boston Magazine called “Massachusetts’ foremost turkey expert,” who said it was possible that the birds were trailing behind one animal who set out to investigate the corpse, and then wound up — follow-the-leader style — in a perfect circle.
Biologist Alan Krakauer, an expert on the behavioral ecology of birds, offers an explanation that ascribes a little more intention to the birds. He tells NPR it’s “most likely … predator inspection behavior.”
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