Flamingo Gardens
3750 S. Flamingo Road, Davie, 954/473-2955, Flamingogardens.org
As the name implies, Flamingo Gardens has flamingos and plenty of them in an open-air tropical garden near the front entrance. But a walk into the southern perimeter of the 60-acre nature refuge leads to the 25,000-square-foot Everglades "Free Flight" Aviary, where 45 species of indigenous Florida birds reside under a 35-foot high mesh tent. The birds, which include pelicans, herons, egrets, cormorants, anhingas and other waterfowl, have room to fly, but most are incapable because of injuries sustained in the wild. The aviary provides a safe shelter for them while allowing visitors to get intimate views from a roped sidewalk that winds past five re-created ecosystems native to Florida: coastal prairie, mangrove swamp, cypress forest, hardwood hammock and sawgrass prairie. Described by Flamingo Gardens as "bird-watching made easy," the aviary is one part of a sanctuary that includes a birds-of-prey exhibit and dozens of fanning peacocks that strut around the grounds as though they own them.
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