Photo: Luis García (Zaqarbal) / CC BY-SA 3.0 es (Wikimedia Commons)
European Serin
Serinus serinus
European Serin (Serinus serinus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Serin (Serinus serinus) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 11.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Serinus
- Species serinus
Where it lives
Temperate to subtropical western Palearctic in woods, gardens, scrub: northern France to far southern Scandinavia and to northern Estonia and far western Russia; south to Iberian Pen., Tenerife and Gran Canaria (central Canary Is., Macaronesia, west of northern Africa) and Morocco to western Libya (northwestern, north-central Africa) through Mediterranean to Turkey and Cyprus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Serin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The European Serin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The European Serin (Serinus serinus) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF temperate to subtropical w Palearctic in woods, gardens, scrub: n France to far s Scandinavia and to n Estonia and far w Russia; s to Iberian Pen., Tenerife and Gran Canaria (c Canary Is., Macaronesia, w of n Africa) and Morocco to w Libya (nw, nc Africa) through Mediterranean to Turkey and Cyprus.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.2 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Serin?
The European Serin is a very small bird that weighs around 11.2 g.
Where does the European Serin live?
The European Serin is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF temperate to subtropical w Palearctic in woods, gardens, scrub: n France to far s Scandinavia and to n Estonia and far w Russia; s to Iberian Pen., Tenerife and Gran Canaria (c Canary Is., Macaronesia, w of n Africa) and Morocco to w Libya (nw, nc Africa) through Mediterranean to Turkey and Cyprus, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the European Serin belong to?
The European Serin (Serinus serinus) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the European Serin eat?
The European Serin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the European Serin migrate?
The European Serin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the European Serin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Serin make?
1 real field recording of the European Serin — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Serin's range?
The European Serin has a mapped global range of about 4.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.