1. During mating season: During the breeding season, male turkeys (toms) can become territorial and aggressive in order to protect their mates and offspring. They may view humans as a threat to their territory and react by attacking.
2. When protecting their young: Mother turkeys (hens) are very protective of their young (poults) and may attack if they perceive humans as a threat to the poults' safety.
3. When cornered or threatened: If a turkey feels trapped or cornered with no way to escape, it might resort to attacking as a defensive measure.
4. Habituation to human presence: In some cases, turkeys that have become habituated to humans in residential areas or parks may lose their natural fear of people and may become aggressive if they associate humans with food or other resources.
5. Misidentification: In rare instances, a turkey might mistakenly identify a human's hand or foot as food and peck at it. This is more likely to happen if the person is wearing gloves or shoes that resemble food items.
It's important to remember that turkey attacks on humans are not very common and can usually be avoided by respecting their space and avoiding situations where they might feel threatened. If you encounter an aggressive turkey, it's best to back away slowly and avoid any sudden movements or loud noises that could further agitate the bird.