On Thursday, nearly 46 million turkeys adorned dinner tables and dining halls across the country.

In Contra Costa County, a turkey population that survived the holiday feasting will keep roaming woodlands and rural roads — a flock of 300 might even traverse your local golf course — and for the most part, the burden of dealing with them continues to fall on residents.

County animal services rarely responds to complaints about wild turkeys, and only in situations where they're posing an immediate public hazard, such as threatening a person's safety or forcing motorists off the road.

The birds are common sights in pockets of Contra Costa, particularly on less-traveled roads and in rural neighborhoods. Most recently, authorities have noticed increased sightings in Alamo, and Rossmoor has been a problem site in the past. As neighborhoods push up against grasslands and trees, residents can expect to see more.

"If they're not there, they will be there soon," said John Krause, an associate wildlife biologist who oversees Contra Costa County for the state Department of Fish and Game.

There isn't a precise figure for the county's wild turkey population. After hunting and habitat destruction pushed the birds to near extinction in the United States at the turn of the century, hunters introduced turkeys to California in the 1950s, where the population had increased to about 100,000 by 1990, and has continued to grow.

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They often present road hazards because they're ornery and can weigh as much as 20 pounds, light enough for limited flight. Not much flight, but at 3 feet tall, enough to obscure a driver's view of the road.

CHP Officer Tom Maguire said officers are generally limited to what the average citizen can do: wave hands, make noise, and if the pecking gets really bad, turn the other way.

"You can't shoot it, (use a stun gun on) it, or pepper spray it," Maguire said. "The turkeys are especially difficult today. There's not much you can do but run."

When they cause property problems, such as ravaging a garden, scratching a car or decorating a deck with their droppings, wild turkeys fall under the purview of the California Department of Fish and Game.

The agency generally advises residents not to feed the birds. A dog or motion-detecting sprinklers are effective deterrents. Hunting the animals is allowed to help control the population and prevent property damage, but there are strict rules about number, method and shooter certification.

On the road, Maguire makes a measured plea to motorists to prioritize their safety over that of a wild turkey.

"I'm not advocating hitting the animal "... but you have to think about your life, passenger safety and the safety of others," he said.

And if you do hit one of the birds, it will be up to you — or Mother Nature — to clean up.

Reach Robert Salonga at 925-943-8013. Follow him at Twitter.com/robertsalonga.