Meet Franklin, the wild turkey gobbling up attention in a Kitchener, Ont., neighbourhood

A wild turkey that has taken up residencein a Kitchener, Ont., neighbourhood is gaining popularity on social media.

The turkeyhas been lovingly nicknamed Frank, Frankie or Franklin, and is notorious for crossing the road without a care in the world in the Franklin and Weber area.

Quinn Dosch, who lives along Franklin Street, said she has some theories about the turkey's traffic obsession.

"I do work at Freshco, just down the street, so we actually go around talking and making so many jokes about the turkey," she said.

"We've actually noticed that it goes after light cars or white cars more than dark cars.... Like if there's like a white car pulled over to the side of the road, it'll go after that one instead of the traffic. But if it's a dark car that's pulled over the side of the road, it'll just go after the traffic."

Nearby resident Sharmila Shanmugasundaramsaid she was inspired to make a Facebook fan page for the turkey when she started seeing all the posts about Franklin blocking traffic on social media.

"It became like an everyday thing. People and I mean a lot of people startedspotting him around Franklin Street," she said.

"Now he's justone among us.He just lives in the neighborhood, and he just shows up here and there ... He's not anymore just a random turkey."

Sandeep Pandey said neighbours and motorists have been taking care not to hit the turkey.

On one occasion, Pandey had to walk Franklin the turkey across the street, out of harm's way.

"Last time I just saved her in the middle of the road. Then she went to another backyard," he said.

"If she goes on the road,it is dangerous for the cars, people as well. They might try to save her and thensome accident happens."

David Ingardsaid hehas lived in theneighbourhood for years and has seen many turkeys in the area but never one that's hadan online presence.

"He seems a little lonely," Ingard said.

"Isee him once in a while. It's kind of neat to have something like that ... He's gonna have more likes than I do [on Facebook].I'm jealous!"

No plans to relocate Franklin

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perthsaid in an emailed statement that it is aware of the wild turkey and thathave responded to a few calls about the bird.

The society saysthe turkey is male and appears to be healthy and there's not much they can do about his presence in the area because he is a wild bird.

Bill Dowd, president of Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, said turkey sightings are more common in urban areas than most peoplerealize.

"Whether it'sKitchener, Guelph, or Cambridge or Hamilton ...our franchises across the country are seeing calls for more and more turkeys in city environments," he said.

"There may be some concern if it's coming up to cars from a public safety standpoint, but they are more prevalent in our urban centres for sure."

He said if you see a wild turkey like Franklin on your property, there are ways to humanely ask them to leave.

"Any animal, whether itbe a turkey, or Canada goose, or araccoon or a skunk,these are wild animals and people need to be cautious and be careful," he said.

"[It will move along if you] makesome noise. If you have a hose,spraythe turkey, just to get it to move along and harass it a bit so it kind of goes on its merry way."

Dowdsaid Franklin the turkey's well-wishersneedn't worry about him getting too cold this winter.

"Like all animals nowin the Canadian winter, they've adapted and they know how to survive. They'll eat a wide range of of fruits and seeds and insects," he said.

"These animals are just flourishingin all urban centres."

LISTEN|Franklin the turkey has become a staple in this Kitchener neighbourhood: