European serin Serinus serinus

Features

The European serin is a small bird from the finch family.

Species	Bird
Living space	Conifer forest
Size	11 - 12 cm
Weight	11 g

Description

The European serin is a small bird that along with its short tail measures 11 to 12 cm in length and is thus the smallest European representative of a finch. It has a relatively large head and a tiny grey beak. Its back, hips and abdomen are covered in stripes. The pale stripe above its eyes extends downwards and further, so as to surround the streaked cheeks with a light freckle in the middle. The European serin's rump is light yellow in males and greenish-yellow in females, and females are of less vibrant yellow colour over the rest of their body (but this difference is often visible only by direct comparison). All body parts that are yellow in adults are white in chicks. The European serin nests on the edges of forests and in small tree stands, preferably in tree stands with conifers (cypress, thuja occidentalis, also known as northern white-cedar, white fir, etc.). It is a very active animal and can easily be seen when moving around. It mainly feeds on seeds, but also on insects while nesting.