European Serin
Serinus serinus
The European Serin (Serinus serinus) is a common finches, euphonias, and alli found in 61 countries, weighing about 11 g. The European serin, or simply the serin, is the smallest species of the family of finches (Fringillidae) and is closely related to the Atlantic canary.
About the European Serin
The European serin, or simply the serin, is the smallest species of the family of finches (Fringillidae) and is closely related to the Atlantic canary. Its diet consists mainly of a combination of buds and seeds.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The European serin is a small short-tailed bird, 11–12 cm in length. The upper parts are dark-streaked greyish green, with a yellow rump. The yellow breast and white belly are also heavily streaked. The male has a brighter yellow face and breast, yellow wing bars and yellow tail sides. The song of this bird is a buzzing trill, very familiar in Mediterranean countries. It breeds across southern and central Europe and North Africa. Southern and Atlantic coast populations are largely resident, but the northern breeders migrate further south in Europe for the winter.
What the European Serin sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Guernsey.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, October, December, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a European Serin?
- The European serin is a small short-tailed bird, 11–12 cm in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a European Serin?
- The European Serin is a tiny sized bird weighing about 11 g.
- Where can you see a European Serin?
- The European Serin occurs in 61 countries, including Spain, France, Portugal, Germany and Italy.
- What does a European Serin sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the European Serin on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a European Serin?
- The European Serin is most easily confused with the Cape Canary, the Atlantic Canary and the Red-fronted Serin.
- Is the European Serin endangered?
- The European Serin is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the European Serin for real
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