Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus

Watercolour by Veronique Prior

The ruins at Aanjar where the serins nest among the conifers.

The Syrian Serin is endemic to the Middle East and is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by BirdLife International. The total population is estimated to be less than 5000, mostly breeding in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

During A Rocha Lebanon’s survey work for potential Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in 2005, Syrian Serin breeding sites were discovered around Aanjar and Kfar Zabad in the Eastern Bekaa Valley. The birds were nesting in conifers but feeding in weedy areas on nearby hillsides in orchards and vineyards, and at Aanjar they bred in the 7th century ruins of an Omayyad civilisation town. The importance of this area, and another former Syrian Serin breeding site at Tannourine Cedars (which A Rocha Lebanon also surveyed in 2005) has been recognized by BirdLife International, who have now awarded both locations IBA status.

Our observations in 2005 and 2006 suggest that in Lebanon the species breeds at altitudes of between 800 and 1,000 metres, usually in conifers and not far from water. In the West Bekaa the Syrian Serin breeds in pines and junipers in the Chateau Kefraya vineyards, then in July the adults and young ascend to the Barouk Mountain at 2,000 metres, using a drinking pool by a spring until the autumn, when they descend to the valley. They leave Lebanon at the end of October, and in March return from their winter quarters elsewhere in the Middle East.

The drinking pool is proving an important site for A Rocha to carry out further studies. In 2005 over 150 Syrian Serins were trapped and ringed there and some individuals were colour-ringed, which will (through re-trapping elsewhere) hopefully shed some light on where the Lebanese population of this pretty bird actually goes for the winter.

- Richard Prior