AMOROUS brush turkeys are raping chickens as their numbers rise in Brisbane and they look for a mate, a leading Queensland biologist says.
Griffith University Associate Prof Darryl Jones said the once-rare native brush turkey could go the way of the ibis and become a permanent fixture of the suburban environment.
But their increase in numbers might be bad news for other birds, Prof Jones, as they risked being attacked by the amorous turkeys.
"Bluntly, that's a form of rape," he said.
"Especially black chickens they seem to think 'oh well, these look close enough' and they'll mate with them."
