Impact zone confirms big turkeys do fly

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Dec. 11 (UPI) -- A northwestern Michigan man has learned large wild turkeys can fly after one crashed through a third-story window of his house at high speed.

Chuck Ritter, 83, was in his Traverse City, Mich., home Saturday when he heard loud bang, breaking glass and a lot of scuffling sounds, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.

He said when he opened the third-floor bedroom door, he said it resembled a war scene, with the 25-pound bird thrashing around amid knocked-over furniture, blood spatters and feathers, broken glass and a very bent window frame.

He shut the door and called county Animal Control officials, who said they didn't deal with wild animals. Soon after, his housing complex's maintenance worker showed up to help, the report said.

After trying to prod the bird back to the window with poles, Ritter grabbed it by its neck and threw it out the window, he said.

The fall killed the bird, which Ritter told the Record-Eagle he would donate to a charity for food.

Looking up at the height of the window, he marveled at the bird's ability.

"Turkeys -- you don't see them jetting across the sky," he said.