Birdwatching in a castle in Medellín

A castle in Medellín? Yes, and can you bird watch there, too Although it sounds strange that a city like Medellin, located between the rugged mountains of the central Andes mountain range, has a castle, it is easy to explain. The castle is a construction of medieval Gothic style inspired by the fortified buildings located on the banks of the Loire river in France. Its construction, carried out by the architect Nel Rodríguez, dates back to the year 1930, and was ordered by Mr. José Tobón Uribe, a renowned medical doctor and businessman from the city, who wanted to build a castle in the best European style in his hometown. Years later, the construction would be purchased by Mr. Diego Echavarría Misas, who in the company of his wife would finish the construction of the Castle, at the same time that they would decorate it with costly works of art that later would become a museum.

The Museum, named El Castillo, operated as a private foundation, is a very important place in the city for the promotion of local artists and one of the new tourist references of Medellín. There are cultural and artistic exhibitions throughout the year that give life to the diverse cultural scene of the city. El Castillo Museum, in turn, has beautiful gardens and a variety of flora and fauna that any place would crave to house. On any sunny day offered by the city of eternal spring, El Castillo Museum is the perfect plan to go on a picnic and share with family or friends, at the same time that the “ornituristas” (bird watching tourists) can enjoy the variety of species that can be observed there.

Just recently, we had the opportunity to visit the El Castillo Museum and we got a very pleasant surprise with the diversity of birds found in the arboreal bouquet of its gardens. Among many species already common in the area such as the tanager restrojera (Tangara Vitriolina), the common sirirí (Tyrannus Melancholicus) and the barranquero (Momotus Aequatorialis), we also had the opportunity to see at a short distance species such as the carpenter worker tapped or habado (Melanerpes rubricapillus). We also spotted a northern visitor, the pibi boreal (Contopus Cooperi); the radiating crowned canary (Sicalis flaveola); the red-breasted flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus); the dark common chamon (Shiny Cowbird) and the woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) with his “clown face”.

If you want to know more about bird watching in Colombia and especially the city of Medellín, do not hesitate to contact us.