After a bit of a rocky start, a wild turkey that's taken up residence around Bloor Street W. and Ossington Avenue has become a neighbourhood favourite.

"We first saw it back in the spring. At that time, it seemed pretty timid," said David Crane, who lives in the area with his two young children.

"But now it doesn't seem to mind us. It flies through our backyard on a regular basis."

The female turkey, which some residents have dubbed "Rose," first appeared sometime in the early spring this year. It quickly earned the attention of admirers on social media and in real life alike as it hovered around the Christie Pits, Bickford and Art Eggleton parks.

According to Crane, a neighbourhood email list quickly emerged as a place for all things turkey-related.

Some who live in the area have grown particularly fond of the big game bird and make a point of keeping an eye on its wellbeing.

"I'm watchful of bad behaviour, too, but there really hasn't been any," said Kenneth Richard, who likes to occasionally put out peanuts for the bird.

Kenneth Richard says he likes to check up on the turkey's wellbeing from time to time. (James Morrison-Collalto/CBC)

"Sometimes big dogs approach her. But the bird just has to flutter her wings and make a little noise and the dogs back off, because it's really quite intimidating," he said.

Wild turkeys aren't especially dangerous animals, but they will take defensive measures if they feel threatened. Some more aggressive turkeys have been known to chase humans. For example, a video posted online earlier this year appears to show an agitated turkey harassing a pedestrian on a residential street in Brampton.

'Charismatic mega fauna'

Eastern wild turkeys, a subspecies that was once extirpated in Ontario but now thrives in the province's southern expanse, are native to the GTA. They frequent some of the less developed landscapes throughout the region, but it's still rare to see one running through the downtown core.

"There are, of course, other turkeys in different parts of Toronto, I just think it's a bit of a novelty to see it in such a dense and urban setting," said Coun. Mike Layton.

Layton represents University-Rosedale, the ward where the turkey is currently making its home. He said his office has received numerous calls about the bird since the spring, but he added that most people simply seem curious rather than uneasy about its presence.

My kids get really excited about seeing it. Whenever it flies by, they run to the window and go crazy. - David Crane, neighbourhood resident

"This is charismatic mega fauna, this is a big bird," he said in a phone interview on Sunday.

Layton added that he hasn't personally heard of any troubling interactions between the turkey and residents in his ward.

"People give it a safe distance, because they realize how large it is. They enjoy the spectacle and the display."

Mainly, he added, he's just happy the turkey made it through the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons unscathed.

Adjusting to humans

The turkey can often be found hanging around heavily used playgrounds and seems to get along nicely with young children.

Elliot Leffler was at the playground near Art Eggleton Park with his toddler on Sunday morning when the turkey made an appearance.

"First, we saw the tracks of the turkey, and we were trying to puzzle out what kind of a bird it was. And then from across the playground, we saw a turkey appear," he told CBC Toronto.

"It didn't seem very afraid of us. It came right over and started playing on the playground equipment."

And there's no question that the neighbourhoods kids are the turkey's most devoted fans.

According to parents who live in the area, many children are especially fond of coming across the big bird. (James Morrison-Collalto/CBC)

"My kids get really excited about seeing it. Whenever it flies by, they run to the window and go crazy," Crane said laughing.

According to Layton, the city has no intention of intervening in the life of the interloper-turned-Instagram star. He posits that the bird may have made its way to the area around Christie Pits Park within Toronto's sprawling network of ravines. They act as habitat corridors, or, in other words, animal highways.

For his part, Richard said he wasn't necessarily surprised to see a turkey settle down in the neighbourhood, which has healthy green space.

"Maybe she just knows a good thing when she sees it."