Parrot Jungle

Parrot Jungle, symbol of all that was exotic and tropical in Miami, opened in 1936 in what is now Pinecrest. Austrian-born Franz Scherr rented 20 acres of cypress and oak hammock and opened the tourist attraction, charging 25 cents admission to see the brightly colored birds and eventually the lush gardens. Generations of children grew up visiting Parrot Jungle Gardens and tourists posed for memorable photos with birds that included flamingos shown in the opening credits of Miami Vice and Pinky, a cockatoo who rode a tiny bicycle on a high-wire. Famous visitors included Winston Churchill in 1946. Two of the attraction’s parrots were featured on the cover of a Jimmy Buffet album in 1985. In 2003, the attraction moved to Watson Island and was renamed Jungle Island, a contemporary theme park.

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