Canaries The genus Serinus is a large genus of birds in the finch family Fringillidae found mostly in the Afrotropical region with some outlying species in Europe and Asia. The genus contains several species groups including canaries, seedeaters and the African siskins. 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 behavioral and vocal characters being used to divide it into seven or more genera. Recent investigations using part of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene have suggested the genus consists of two main clades (Serinus sensu stricto and Crithagra) separated by certain members of the genus Carduelis, 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.
Serinus sensu stricto
Red-fronted serin, Serinus pusillus
European serin, Serinus serinus
Syrian serin, Serinus syriacus
Atlantic canary, Serinus canaria
Cape canary, Serinus canicollis
Yellow-crowned canary, Serinus flavivertex
Ethiopian siskin, Serinus nigriceps
Mountain serin, Serinus estherae
Tibetan serin, Serinus thibetanus
Black-headed canary, Serinus alario
Dendrospiza group
African citril, Serinus citrinelloides
Western citril, Serinus frontalis
Southern citril, Serinus hyposticta
Black-faced canary, Serinus capistratus
Papyrus canary, Serinus koliensis
Forest canary, Serinus scotops
Ochrospiza group
White-rumped seedeater, Serinus leucopygius
Yemen serin, Serinus menachensis
Arabian serin, Serinus rothschildi
Yellow-throated seedeater, Serinus flavigula
Salvadori's seedeater, Serinus xantholaemus
Black-throated canary, Serinus atrogularis
Reichenow's seedeater, Serinus reichenowi
Yellow-rumped seedeater, Serinus xanthopygius
Lemon-breasted canary, Serinus citrinipectus
Yellow-fronted canary, Serinus mozambicus
White-bellied canary, Serinus dorsostriatus
Crithagra group
Northern grosbeak-canary, Serinus donaldsoni
Southern grosbeak-canary, Serinus buchanani
Yellow canary, Serinus flaviventris
Brimstone canary, Serinus sulphuratus
White-throated canary, Serinus albogularis
Poliospiza group
Black-eared seedeater, Serinus mennelli
Brown-rumped seedeater, Serinus tristriatus
Streaky-headed seedeater, Serinus gularis
Reichard's seedeater, Serinus reichardi
Pseudochloroptila group
Cape siskin, Serinus totta
Drakensberg siskin, Serinus symonsi
Group uncertain
Protea canary, Serinus leucopterus
Streaky seedeater, Serinus striolatus
Thick-billed seedeater, Serinus burtoni
Principe seedeater, Serinus rufobrunneus
Yellow-browed seedeater, Serinus whytii
Kipengere seedeater, Serinus melanochroa
Black-headed canary, Serinus alario
Ankober serin, Serinus ankoberensis