The Syrian serin is a brightly coloured small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.
Region
Levant
Typical Environment
The Syrian serin occupies rocky and open montane habitats with scattered trees and bushes, including juniper, pistachio, cypress, and traditional orchards. It favors edges of open woodland, scrubby slopes, cultivated clearings, and areas near cliffs or wadis. In winter it descends to lower, drier steppe and agricultural zones, often near water sources. It can form small flocks outside the breeding season and may use orchards and weedy fields to forage.
Altitude Range
300–1800 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Syrian serin is a brightly coloured small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae, with males showing vivid yellow tones. It breeds in upland areas of the Levant and moves to lower elevations in winter. The species is threatened by habitat degradation from overgrazing, logging, and disturbance, and benefits from protection of montane woodlands and traditional orchards.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating flight
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it gathers in small flocks that forage and move together between feeding sites. During breeding it is loosely colonial or forms small neighborhood groups, with pairs nesting in trees or tall shrubs. Nests are compact cups, and both parents attend to the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A high, tinkling series of twitters and trills, delivered in rapid phrases. Males sing from exposed perches or in fluttering song flights. Calls include thin, sibilant notes used to keep contact in flocks.
Plumage
Fine, smooth plumage with bright yellow underparts and face in males; upperparts olive-brown with dark streaking. Females and immatures are duller and more streaked, especially on the breast and flanks. Wings are dark with pale to yellowish panels and narrow wingbars; tail slightly forked.
Diet
Primarily seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants, complemented by buds and flowers. It also takes small invertebrates, especially during the breeding season to feed nestlings. Diet varies with seasonal availability, shifting to weed seeds and agricultural spillage in winter. It husks seeds efficiently with its short conical bill.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the ground and low vegetation in weedy fields, orchards, and open scrub. Often uses field margins, rocky slopes with scattered bushes, and the edges of montane woodland. In winter it frequents steppe-like areas and cultivated lands near water.
