There are plenty of reasons to visit Fisher Island Hotel & Resort. Although Fisher Island is only three miles off the coast of Miami, the 216-acre tropical paradise feels worlds away. Its exclusive beginnings are legendary: the result of a trade between developer Carl Fisher and philanthropist William K. Vanderbilt II. "My island for your yacht," Fisher told Vanderbilt, sometime in the 1920s, as the story goes.
Almost immediately, Vanderbilt began designing his winter retreat. Not only would it have a mansion, guest homes, tennis courts, and a pool, but he'd populate it with exotic parrots to enhance the tropical beauty of his own private island. He factored into his plans the construction of an aviary for exotic birds. In the spirit of Vanderbilt's vision, Fisher Island Hotel & Resort has developed their own tradition of adopting, rescuing, and rehabilitating exotic birds.
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Guests can get up close and personal with the birds, who sit on perches close by the aviary.
Today, Fisher Island Hotel & Resort is the only property in Miami that boasts its own aviary. Nearly 40 species of birds call the island home, about a dozen of which are housed in the main 800-square-foot enclosure.
Every day, onsite bird keepers let the inhabitants take flight in the mornings, weather permitting. Cockatoos (some of which have been taught to say "hello" to passersby), cockatiels, and other birds don't venture too far from home, though, staying close by on perches set up near the aviary. The island has its fair share of wildlife that roams freely, too–peacocks, herons, egrets, ducks, geese, hawks, and falcons, and a plethora of perching birds.
But whether at the aviary or beyond, residents and guests have taken a shine to the wildlife as part of the Fisher Island family.
To learn more about Fisher Island Hotel & Resort or its onsite aviary, please contact the concierge upon making a reservation.
