The genus
Serinus is a large genus of
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s in the
finchThe true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to Southern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
family Fringillidae found mostly in the Afrotropical region with some outlying species in Europe and Asia. The genus contains several species groups including
canariesThe Canary , also called the Island Canary, Atlantic Canary or Common Canary, is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Serinus in the finch family, Fringillidae. It is native to the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. Wild birds are mostly yellow-green, with brownish streaking on the...
,
seedeaterThe seedeaters are a form taxon of seed-eating passerine birds with a distinctively conical bill.Most are Central and South American birds that were formerly placed in the American sparrow family , but are now known to be tanagers closely related to Darwins finches...
s and the African
siskin-Birds:Carduelis* Andean Siskin, Carduelis spinescens* Antillean Siskin, Carduelis dominicensis* Black Siskin, Carduelis atrata* Black-capped Siskin, Carduelis atriceps* Black-chinned Siskin, Carduelis barbata...
s. The majority of species are small to medium sized birds with green and yellow, often streaky plumage though there are a few notable exceptions.
The treatment of the Canary group as a single genus has been subject to much debate, with behavioural and vocal characters being used to divide it into seven or more genera. Recent investigations using part of the mitochondrial
cytochrome bCytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
geneA gene is the basic unit of heredity in a living organism. All living things depend on genes. Genes hold the information to build and maintain their cells and pass genetic traits to offspring...
have suggested the genus consists of two main clades (
Serinus sensu stricto and
Crithagra) separated by certain members of the genus
CarduelisThe genus Carduelisis a large group of birds in the finch family Fringillidae. It includes the greenfinches, redpolls, goldfinches, linnets, the twite, and the non-African siskins...
, and these may be better treated as two separate genera. Species in the
Crithagra clade could conceivably be split further into several more (sub)genera and may well be once relationships within the clade are better resolved. In the list below they are arranged in the groups as suggested in various publications e.g.(Elzen et al.) and (Ryan et al.).
Serinus sensu stricto
- Red-fronted Serin
The Red-fronted Serin or Fire-fronted Serin is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It prefers high mountain regions and is 11-12cm long....
, Serinus pusillus
- European Serin
The European Serin, or just Serin is the smallest European species of the family of finches and is closely related to the Canary. Its diet consists mainly of a combination of buds and seeds.-Description:...
, Serinus serinus
- Syrian Serin
The Syrian Serin is a brightly coloured small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.-Description:The Syrian Serin is prettily coloured with bright yellow and pale grey feathers. The eyes are large and are surrounded by a bright yellow ring. The beak is grey and the legs are pale...
, Serinus syriacus
- Canary
The Canary , also called the Island Canary, Atlantic Canary or Common Canary, is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Serinus in the finch family, Fringillidae. It is native to the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. Wild birds are mostly yellow-green, with brownish streaking on the...
, Serinus canaria
- Cape Canary
The Cape Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in eastern and southern Africa and has been introduced to Mauritius and Réunion....
, Serinus canicollis
- Yellow-crowned Canary, Serinus flavivertex
- Abyssinian Siskin
The Abyssinian Siskin is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Ethiopia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.-References:...
, Serinus nigriceps
- Black-headed Canary
The Black-Headed Canary is a species of finch found in Lesotho and South Africa. It is sometimes placed in genus Alario as Alario alarioIts habitat is dry open scrub and grassland, edges of cultivation and suburban gardens....
, Serinus alario (sometimes placed in genus Alario)
Dendrospiza group
- African Citril
The African Citril is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found from Sudan and Eritrea to Zambia and Mozambique. As defined here, it includes the greyish-headed subspecies brittoni and hypostictus, sometimes separated as the Southern Citril, Serinus hypostictus.-References:*...
, Serinus citrinelloides
- Black-faced Canary
The Black-Faced Canary is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Angola, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Zambia....
, Serinus capistratus
- Papyrus Canary
The Papyrus Canary is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist shrubland....
, Serinus koliensis
- Forest Canary
The Forest Canary is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in South Africa and Swaziland.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
, Serinus scotops
Ochrospiza group
- White-rumped Seedeater
The White-Rumped Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, and the United...
, Serinus leucopygius
- Yemen Serin
The Yemen Serin is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Serinus menachensis
- Olive-rumped Serin
The Olive-Rumped Serin is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Serinus rothschildi
- Yellow-throated Seedeater
The Yellow-Throated Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Ethiopia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland....
, Serinus flavigula
- Salvadori's Serin
The Salvadori's Serin is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Ethiopia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland....
, Serinus xantholaemus
- Black-throated Canary
The Black-throated Canary or Southern Yellow-rumped Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family....
, Serinus atrogularis
- Yellow-rumped Serin
The Yellow-rumped Serin or Abyssinian Yellow-rumped Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Eritrea and Ethiopia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland....
, Serinus xanthopygius
- Lemon-breasted Seedeater
The Lemon-Breasted Seedeater , also known as the Lemon-breasted Canary, is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Serinus citrinipectus
- Yellow-fronted Canary
The Yellow-fronted Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is known elsewhere and in aviculture as the Green Singing Finch....
, Serinus mozambicus
- White-bellied Canary
The White-Bellied Canary is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.Its natural habitat is dry savanna.-References:...
, Serinus dorsostriatus
Crithagra group
- Northern Grosbeak-canary, Serinus donaldsoni
- Southern Grosbeak-canary
The Kenya Grosbeak-canary or Southern Grosbeak-canary is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Serinus buchanani
- Yellow Canary
The Yellow Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in much of the western and central regions of southern Africa and has been introduced to Ascension and St Helena islands....
, Serinus flaviventris
- Brimstone Canary
The Brimstone Canary or Bully Canary, Serinus sulphuratus, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in central and southern Africa....
, Serinus sulphuratus
- White-throated Canary
The White-Throated Canary is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa....
, Serinus albogularis
Poliospiza group
- Black-eared Seedeater
The Black-eared Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Serinus mennelli
- Brown-rumped Seedeater
The Brown-Rumped Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Serinus tristriatus
- Streaky-headed Seedeater
The Streaky-headed Seedeater or Streaky-headed Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a common resident breeder in suitable habitat in much of Africa south of the Sahara....
, Serinus gularis
- Reichard's Seedeater
The Reichard's Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Serinus reichardi
Pseudochloroptila group
- Cape Siskin
The Cape Siskin, Serinus totta, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the southern Cape Province of South Africa...
, Serinus totta
- Drakensberg Siskin
The Drakensberg Siskin, Serinus symonsi, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the eastern Cape Province Transkei and western Natal in South Africa, and in Lesothoof...
, Serinus symonsi
Group uncertain
- Protea Canary
The Protea Canary, Serinus leucopterus, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the southwestern Cape Province, South Africa...
, Serinus leucopterus
- Streaky Seedeater
The Streaky Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.-References:...
, Serinus striolatus
- Thick-billed Seedeater
The Thick-Billed Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.-References:...
, Serinus burtoni
- Principe Seedeater
The Príncipe Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Sao Tomé and Príncipe.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Serinus rufobrunneus
Genus uncertain
These species may be related to various groups currently classified as members of
CarduelisThe genus Carduelisis a large group of birds in the finch family Fringillidae. It includes the greenfinches, redpolls, goldfinches, linnets, the twite, and the non-African siskins...
:
- Mountain Serin
The Mountain Serin is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude...
, Serinus estherae
- Tibetan Serin
The Tibetan Serin , sometimes considered a siskin of the genus Carduelis, is a true finch species .It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitat is temperate forests....
, Serinus thibetanus
- Ankober Serin
The Ankober Serin is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Ethiopia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and arable land.It is threatened by habitat loss....
, Serinus ankoberensis
The
Citril FinchThe Citril Finch is a small songbird, a member of the true finch family Fringillidae. For a long time, this cardueline finch was placed in the genus Serinus, but it is apparently very closely related to the European Goldfinch .This bird is a resident breeder in the mountains of southwestern Europe...
and the
Corsican FinchThe Corsican Finch is a bird in the finch family, Fringillidae.It was formerly regarded a subspecies of the Citril Finch, but it differs in morphology and vocalizations as well as mtDNA sequence and they are now considered distinct...
are now placed in the genus
CarduelisThe genus Carduelisis a large group of birds in the finch family Fringillidae. It includes the greenfinches, redpolls, goldfinches, linnets, the twite, and the non-African siskins...
as
Carduelis citrinella and
Carduelis corsicana (Arnaiz-Villena
et al., 1998).
External links