The bird - dubbed "Goose Gossage" (for the Yankee relief great) by firefighters and "Zelda" by Parks workers - took flight on Friday from Battery Park, where she had made her home for more than a year.
The bird, which had never before left the park, embarked on a sightseeing tour that began on the West Side Highway Saturday.
Wandering across lanes like she had imbibed some of her namesake product, she nearly caused several accidents as cars swerved to avoid making it roadkill.
She was next sighted yesterday on top of PS 234 near City Hall.
When she flew down to the schoolyard, she led police, firefighters and animal control officers on a chase that ended on Chambers Street near Greenwich Avenue around 11:30 a.m.
"We got him by covering him with a fire jacket and stuffed him in a cage - I suppose I shouldn't say stuffed," joked Fire Lt. Steve Gentiluomo.
"We were sent on a wild-goose chase and it was pretty tiring - we were running for quite a while."
The turkey was returned to Battery Park.
Zelda, "somewhat of a mascot for the park," can stay in the park as long as she doesn't bother anyone or make herself a nuisance anymore, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said.
"Why did the turkey cross the road?" asked Benepe. "Because it's Easter - looking for the bunny, I guess."
