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.

Distribution

Region

Europe and Mediterranean Basin

Typical Environment

Widespread across southern and central Europe, with highest densities around the Mediterranean. Occupies open woodlands, farmland with scattered trees, orchards, vineyards, and urban green spaces. Also uses scrubby edges, hedgerows, and weedy lots where seed plants are abundant. Winters in milder areas, with northern breeders moving southward.

Altitude Range

0–2000 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size11–12 cm

Wing Span18–23 cm

Male Weight0.012 kg

Female Weight0.01 kg

Life Expectancy7 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

The European serin is the smallest European finch and a close relative of the Atlantic canary. Males deliver a rapid, buzzy, tinkling song from treetops and aerial display flights. It adapts well to human-altered landscapes, frequently breeding in orchards, gardens, and urban parks. Cup-shaped nests are placed in trees or tall shrubs, typically with 3–5 eggs.

Gallery

Egg, collection of the Museum Wiesbaden, Germany

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with bounding, undulating flight

Social Behavior

Outside the breeding season it forms small to large flocks, often mixed with other finches. During breeding, pairs defend a small area around the nest while foraging more widely. The nest is a neat cup of grasses and plant fibers lined with softer materials; 1–2 broods are common.

Migratory Pattern

Partial migrant

Song Description

A fast, high-pitched, tinkling jumble of trills and buzzes, delivered persistently from exposed perches. Flight song is similar but more continuous and given during fluttering display flights.

Unlock detailed bird insights with Pro access today.

Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

European shag

The European shag or common shag is a species of cormorant. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Gulosus. It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern Europe, southwest Asia and north Africa, mainly wintering in its breeding range except for the northernmost birds. In Britain this seabird is usually referred to as simply the shag. The scientific genus name derives from the Latin for glutton. The species name aristotelis commemorates the Greek philosopher Aristotle.

European stonechat

The European stonechat is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a subspecies of the common stonechat. Long considered a member of the thrush family, Turdidae, genetic evidence has placed it and its relatives in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. It is found across Europe, as far east as Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and in parts of North Africa.

European storm petrel

The European storm petrel, also known as British storm petrel, or just storm petrel, is a species of seabird in the northern storm petrel family, Hydrobatidae. The small, square-tailed bird is entirely black except for a broad, white rump and a white band on the under wings, and it has a fluttering, bat-like flight. The large majority of the population breeds on islands off the northern coasts of Europe, with the greatest numbers in the Faroe Islands, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland. The Mediterranean population is a separate subspecies whose strongholds are Filfla Island (Malta), Sicily, and the Balearic Islands. This subspecies is indiscernible at sea from its Atlantic relatives.