European Serin, on Monaco’s Rock

My lunch routine on most days this autumn includes a walk along the corniche on the southern side of Le Rocher, or The Rock, most known as the setting for Prince Albert’s clifftop palace. The walkway begins by a small tunnel on the road at Le Rocher’s eastern edge, and follows the coast along the base of an attractive 60-meter high sheer cliff and ends dramatically at the base of the Principality’s Oceanographic Museum. The latter plays host to dozens of Eurasian Crag Martins; the cliff to several warblers and finches. Merlin heard a European Serin each day this week; I finally sighted the smallest member of the finch family —then another, and another, and another— today, and managed a few shots to inaugurate this site’s European Serin gallery.

Technically these aren’t great; they were shot at midday at 600m and cropped close. But to get things rolling, they’ll do. I spotted four initially, foraging and jumping along small flatish outcrops. When a pair of rock pigeons crashed their picnic area, I saw five fly away. Merlin said they’re uncommon for this time of year which made managing these snaps all the sweeter.

Four more shots below.

Two more shots below; the bird is partially hidden but these are the clearest shots I have from this sighting so here they are.

European Serin (Serinus serinus) in brief (with assist from WordPress AI but double-checked by me at Birds of the World and Wikipedia):

• Size: Approximately 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1 in) in length.
• Diet: Primarily seeds, particularly grasses and some insects during breeding season.
• Habitat: Prefers open woodlands, scrublands, gardens, and grasslands.
• Physical Description: Small, colorful finch with a yellow-green underside, a brownish back, and distinctive yellow wing bars.
• Breeding: Typically nests in bushes or trees; female lays 3-6 eggs, incubated for about 12-14 days.
• Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but population trends show local declines in some areas.
• Unique Behaviors: Known for its melodious singing and acrobatic flight; often forages in flocks outside of breeding season.
• Range: Found across Europe, North Africa, and parts of Central Asia; commonly seen in countries such as Spain, France, Italy, and Turkey.
• Migration: Some populations are resident, while others migrate short distances; migratory behaviors are noted in Northern Europe, heading towards Southern France and North Africa during colder months.

Links for further reference:

• European Serin at Birds of the World
• European Serin at BirdLife DataZone
• European Serin at eBird
• European Serin at Avibase
• European Serin at Wikipedia
• European Serin at Oiseaux.net
• European Serin at iNaturalist

Other articles and posts:

• Bird Guides – Eurasian Siskin, European Serin and Citril Finch photo ID guide

Research and academic articles:

• The history of European Serin breeding in Britain, UK Rare Breeding Birds Panel
• European Serin (Serinus serinus) expands nesting area to south and east, Ornis Hungarica 2024

Photos from 12 November 2025