Finches · Perching birds
European Serin
Link copied.
Serinus serinus
Link copied.
Voice
Song
Call
Call
How to recognize it
-
11–12 cm long
-
Grey-green back with dark streaks, yellow rump
-
Male with brighter yellow face and breast, yellow wing bars and tail sides
-
Fast buzzing trill
About the species
Greenish-grey upperparts carry dark streaks, with a bright yellow rump standing out against them. The breast is yellow and the belly white, both finely streaked; males have a brighter yellow face and breast, along with yellow wing bars and tail edges. Seen from the side, those yellow patches break up the otherwise muted coloring.
A rapid, scratchy, ringing song often runs into a buzzing trill, whether sung from a treetop or in flight. In the air, its wingbeats are slow; outside the breeding season, it gathers in flocks, sometimes mixed with other finches.
Look for it in parks, gardens, and groves, as well as open woodland and cultivated areas, often near conifers. It eats mainly seeds and buds, adding insects during the breeding season. Southern populations are largely resident, while northern breeders move south within Europe for winter.
Where to find
-
In city parks, listen for a fast, scratchy song from the treetops.
-
In open woodland, listen for song in flight and watch for the slowed wingbeats.
-
Outside the breeding season, look for flocks in gardens in southern Europe — sometimes mixed with other finches.
