Roosters rule the roost in Miami

Flamingos, pelicans, herons, and parrots are just a few of the wild birds that call Miami home, but it's the roosters, hens, and baby chicks that have come to rule the roost in recent years.

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Not only found in residential neighborhoods like Little Havana, Little Haiti, and Wynwood, the fowl families are also making their home among the high-rises and government buildings downtown.

And while some people find the crowing to be a nuisance, many have adopted the rooster as an unofficial mascot for the city.

Paul George, the resident historian at HistoryMiami Museum, said the chickens are closely connected to the people who have moved to Miami over the decades.

For a long time, the domesticated birds were mostly kept in backyards, but George began to notice their feral cousins wandering in public areas about 20 years ago.

He said the chickens have a cultural connection to people who grew up in rural areas of Cuba and other parts of Latin America: "They've always had these hens and roosters around."

Wild chickens can be found in many Florida communities, from Key West to Tampa to Saint Augustine, along with other large cities throughout the US, like New Orleans, Houston, and Los Angeles.