Finches (Fringillidae)

European Serin (Serinus serinus) - HBW 15, p. 516

French: Serin cini German: Girlitz Spanish: Serín Verdecillo
Other common names: Eurasian/Common Serin, Serin Finch

Taxonomy: Fringilla Serinus Linnaeus, 1766, Switzerland.
Recent molecular-genetic studies suggest that this species is probably closest to S. pusillus and S. canicollis; has sometimes been thought to form a superspecies with S. syriacus, S. canaria and S. canicollis, but relationships uncertain. Monotypic.

Distribution: Breeds in Europe (except British Is and almost entire Fennoscandia) E to E Baltic, W Russia and Belarus, S to Mediterranean islands, N, W & CS Turkey, C Georgia, Canary Is (Tenerife, Gran Canaria), N Africa (N & C Morocco E to N Tunisia and NW & NE Libya), Lebanon and Israel; winters SW & S Europe and N Africa E to N Egypt, also Iraq.