Set among the flowerbeds near the top of Bournemouth's Lower Gardens, this small, free aviary is easy to come across while walking between the town centre and the seafront, and it's worth pausing for. Rather than a conventional zoo, it functions as a rescue and rehoming service for pet birds, visible to anyone passing through.
History
An aviary has occupied this section of Pine Walk for more than 50 years, originally kept up by Bournemouth Council as part of the town's Victorian pleasure gardens. Age eventually caught up with the old 1980s structure, and May 2022 saw it replaced by the purpose-built Cooper-Thompson Rescue Aviary, a modern facility built with better bird welfare in mind, offering 360-degree viewing so visitors can observe the birds from every angle. Volunteers now handle the day-to-day care.
What to see
Roughly 200 birds reside here, ranging from tiny finches up to large parrots. Nearly all of them came in as rescues, cage birds whose owners could no longer keep them, alongside some hatched and raised right there. It's a relaxed, low-key stop, no tickets and no turnstiles, just an opportunity to watch some colourful, noisy residents going about their business.
Visiting
Free and open to view any day of the year, the aviary has no fixed hours to plan around. While there's no toilet on site, public facilities are a short walk away in another part of the Lower Gardens, which remain flat and step-free throughout.
It stands as one of several understated highlights inside the Bournemouth Lower Gardens, alongside crazy golf and summer bandstand concerts. Discover more of the town's green spaces and family-friendly stops in our guide to things to do in Bournemouth.
