Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

One driver had an unexpected passenger while driving through Livingston County this week.

Around 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, a 19-year-old Sterling Heights man was driving eastbound on 1-96 near Fowlerville Road when a wild turkey flew into the path of his Ford F-250 pickup truck before crashing through the windshield, according to a Tweet from the MSP First District.

The driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and avoid a major crash. He wasn't injured in the incident, but the turkey was killed.

Authorities said turkey hunting season runs from Apr. 20 through June 7 this year. Drivers are cautioned to be on the lookout for turkeys that may fly into their path to avoid hunters.

The spring breeding season is generally associated with increased activity called “strutting”. In Michigan, wild turkey mating season typically begins in late March and runs through early April. The timing is said to be influenced by increasing daylight hours and rising temperatures of spring. The National Wild Turkey Federation says strutting describes the courtship display of the wild turkey, which is often used as a show of dominance when performed in the presence of other males.


(photo credit: MSP First District via X)