Back in November, I ended up at Parrot Mountain, an illegally operating bird zoo in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Here’s how it happened.
See, my dad came to visit me while I was researching tourism and wildlife conservation in Gatlinburg and he said “cat’s in the cradle, Lollybird,” and guilt tripped me until I agreed to go with him.
The landscaping was gorgeous, but I started to feel a little sad when I saw the state of the bird enclosures. It left me wondering…
Why do the birds at Parrot Mountain and Gardens not have proper enrichment?
A staff member told me the birds’ lack of enrichment is because “the guests are the enrichment.” Which, I am not sure if y’all are up to date on animal welfare standards for zoos, but unsupervised, uninstructed guests are not an acceptable form of enrichment.
Interpretive Signage
One weird thing that really stood out to me at Parrot Mountain was the interpretive signage–or rather, the lack of interpretive signage. For those of you who don’t know, interpretive signage are those educational signs that you find at zoos, aquariums, museums, etc. A lot of the birds at didn’t have any kind of identifying signage at all, which removed any kind of potential educational value . Additionally, the educational signage that did exist was significantly lacking. Specifically, the signs lacked information discussing conservation status and threats to the species. The exotic pet trade is a top threat to parrots globally, so I thought it was pretty weird not to mention it, as that is normally a go-to piece of information. But then I realized something…
Parrot Mountain and Gardens Sells Birds
Parrot mountain had a whole bird nursery where they were selling baby birds left and right. It is important to note that the facility is marketing to tourists, and even claims to be an “ecotourism” activity. However, the facility was selling animals that live 60+ years like hermit crabs in gift shops. Parrots can make amazing pets! But they shouldn’t be bought on impulse at tourist traps, or sold to tourists on vacation.
Operating Illegally
Selling baby birds to tourists in some sort of gift-shop was bad, but finding out that Parrot Mountain and Gardens were operating illegally was even worse! You see, in February 2024, the USDA Animal Welfare Act was updated to mandate that exhibitors of birds be licensed. This law ensures bird welfare by setting standards for veterinary care, enclosures, cohabitation with other species, enrichment, transport, feeding, and more. If someone wishes to exhibit birds to the public or sell a substantial number of birds like this place was doing, a USDA exhibitor’s option is mandatory. Parrot Mountain did not have a USDA exhibitors license and thus was operating illegally when I went.
The USDA Shut Down Parrot Mountain In November
About a month after I made my initial video review about Parrot Mountain, I learned that the USDA showed up and shut them down for operating illegally. Parrot Mountain was not a legal breeder or a legal exhibitor of birds. According to official USDA documents, Parrot Mountain was warned back in July that they were not legally allowed to operate without a license. They chose not to comply with federal law, and thus government officials ordered them to shut down. Parrot Mountain chose to be dishonest with the public and claim they were closing due to weather, but damning evidence in the form of official federal documents as well as past dates of seasonal closures say otherwise.
Below are the official government documents stating that Parrot Mountain was knowingly operating illegally and was ordered to cease operation, along with all of the birds the facility exhibited illegally.
When Will They Open Back Up?
According to the Pigeon Forge Chamber Of Commerce, Parrot Mountain is due to re-open on March 1st, 2025. However, according to the USDA as of February 14th, 2025, they still not have a license to exhibit and sell animals. If the facility opens on March 1st without a license, they will be breaking federal law.
Is Parrot Mountain an Animal Sanctuary?
No, despite marketing themselves as one, Parrot Mountain is not actually an animal sanctuary. They are a for-profit tourist establishment that breeds birds on a large scale and sells them to tourists. If you are looking for a real bird sanctuary near Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge that actually works to conserve wildlife, I would recommend the American Eagle Foundation’s new facility in Kodak.
Is Parrot Mountain a Good Place For a Field Trip?
I would not recommend teachers or homeschool parents take children on field trips to Parrot Mountain in Pigeon Forge. In addition to everything I mentioned above, there are also no trained educators, scientists, or zoologists working at the facility.
For homeschool parents and teachers looking for something bird related in the Knoxville/Sevierville area, I would recommend Ijams Nature Center or The American Eagle Foundation in Kodak.
Does Parrot Mountain Participate in Wildlife Conservation?
Parrot Mountains and Gardens does not participate in any form of wildlife conservation activities. According to their website, they claim that the reason they breed and sell parrots on a large scale is to “preserve exotic parrots and softbill type species through a captive breeding program that helps prevent the danger of extinction.”
However, just like their animal sanctuary claim, this is another case of misleading marketing from Parrot Mountain. Actual captive breeding programs that help save animals from extinction only exist through collaborations with other accredited institutions and scientists. Doing this ensures animal health, and genetic diversity in the populations. This facility is in no way collaborating with any other conservation facilities, they are taking the animals that they receive as surrenders and breeding them, and they are not in ZIMS or any other kind of animal record keeping programs for conservation.
Parrot Mountain is Not Ecotourism
Before I end this post, I want to address the claim posted on the Pigeon Forge Chamber of Commerce website that Parrot Mountain is an “ecotourism” activity. It is not. Parrot Mountain is not any sort of eco-tourism, dispite claiming to be. This is simply an example of another business “greenwashing” –or making themselves look more ecofriendly in order to cater to the growing trend of tourists looking for sustainable options. If you are interested in learning more about how tourist establishments trick visitors with the term “ecotourism,” please check out my article here.
