Syrian Serin

Serinus syriacus Bonaparte, 1850

Syrian Serin, Serinus syriacus, is a finch in the family Fringillidae that breeds in montane open woodland and orchards in Lebanon, far northern Israel, far southern Syria and south-west Jordan. Outside the breeding season it moves into xeric scrub in lowland southern Israel, the Sinai Peninsula in north-east Egypt and north-west Saudi Arabia. It was described by Bonaparte in 1850. The bird is noted for its bright yellow and pale grey plumage, with large eyes set in a yellow eye-ring, a grey bill and pale pinkish-grey legs. It also gives a long trilling call and may chirp and twitter.

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Fringillidae — Finches, Euphonias

Breeding range

Palearctic, Africa: subtropical sw Palearctic montane open woodland, orchards: Lebanon, far n Israel, far s Syria and sw Jordan

Nonbreeding range

to xeric scrub in lowland s Israel, Sinai Pen. (ne Egypt) and nw Saudi Arabia