Serin

The serin (Serinus serinus) is a small finch that is common in many parts of continental Europe but is only rarely seen in the United Kingdom, with probably only around fifty visitors a year in the far south of England and East Anglia. It is resident in most of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean and there are breeding populations in Germany and eastern Europe that migrate west and south in the winter.

Appearance

The serin measures about 11.5 centimetres (4.5 inches) in length. It has a large head, very small bill, and forked tail. Adult males are yellowish-green or brown with a bright yellow rump. The back and rump are heavily streaked. The underparts are lighter in colour, also with streaking. The forehead, throat, breast and sides of the neck are bright lemon-yellow. Females are duller in colour with browner and more streaky plumage and the areas that are bright yellow on male serins are yellowish-white on females.

Habitat

The natural habitat of the serin is Mediterranean woodlands and olive groves, but as the species has moved steadily north over the past 200 years it has inhabited various locations where there is plenty of cover, such as gardens, parks and churchyards.

Behaviour and feeding

The serin is an active, restless bird with an energetic, skipping flight. It feeds on the seeds of plants such as dandelions, thistles and grasses and also the buds of alder, birch and beech trees. Aphids, caterpillars, spiders and beetles may also be eaten in summer.

The serin is a sociable bird, nesting in groups and forming small flocks outside the breeding season.

The serin’s call is a high-pitched trill and its song is a very fast stream of squeaky notes. Its song flight consists of a steep ascent followed by a slow arcing descent with the wings spread out stiffly.

Breeding

Serins return to their breeding grounds at the end of March. The female builds a small nest on a tree or bush branch, using grass, moss, lichens and small roots bound together with spiders’ webs. The lining is of hair and feathers.

A clutch of three to five eggs is incubated by the female alone, with the male serin feeding her at the nest. Hatching takes place after 12 to 14 days and the chicks are fed by both parent birds. The young birds can fly at 14 to 16 days after hatching but continue to be fed by their parents for another six or seven days.

Two broods are usual, with the male feeding the first brood while the female is starting to incubate the second.

Conservation

The serin has protection and amber status in the United Kingdom, where sightings are rare (but rising) and breeding even rarer, but the species is not regarded as being vulnerable across most of its range and is therefore of “least concern” in global terms.

© John Welford