Fly, my pretty! Albino turkey on the loose in Pāpāmoa

The escaped turkey. Photo / Courtney Tregurtha-Nairn

A large albino turkey has been spotted waltzing the streets of Pāpāmoa, bewildering residents and raising concerns for the flyaway's safety.

Pāpāmoa resident and student Courtney Tregurtha-Nairn got a shock when she pulled into her driveway to see a plump white turkey pecking at fruit below her feijoa tree in her garden yesterday afternoon.

"I got out of my car and I was just bewildered," she said. "It was really weird because it's such a big bird."

The bird skittered away from her when she tried to approach it. It ended up leaping up on to the fence and into her neighbour's property, where she could see it fossick around in the neighbour's property through the fence.

"They weren't home so I couldn't tell them, 'hey, there's a turkey in your backyard."

Tregurtha-Nairn was concerned for the bird's welfare and called the SPCA who told her it would move on.

She believed the turkey might have had escaped from a farm.

"I have no idea where it came from. I like to think it was destined for the dinner plate but it escaped and it now has a great life."

She posted on a lost and found pets Facebook page about the sighting, which drew comments from people that they had also spotted the bird around the area on Royal Palm Springs and Gravatt Rd.

Tauranga City Council has been approached for comment.