European Serin

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Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: South coast scrub.
Diet: Seeds.
Best time to spot: Yellow with streaky flanks; jingling song.

When to look

Scarce or local in the UK. Timing varies by region, so check recent sightings before you travel. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.

How rare is it?

The European Serin sits in our Rare tier for the UK: scarce or very local, so most birders need a planned trip. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Balearic ShearwaterRare · South coast (autumn)
• Yellow-legged GullRare · South coast
• Little BuntingRare · Coastal scrub (autumn passage)
• Rustic BuntingRare · Coastal scrub (very rare)
• TwiteRare · Uplands (summer); coast (winter)
• Arctic WarblerRare · Coastal scrub (vagrant)

Kit that helps

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