Sora (Porzana carolina)
Soras are a small chicken-like bird that spends most of its time hiding amongst the reeds in marshes and wetlands. They are the most common and widespread species of rail in North America.
How to Identify
- Fairly small stubby bird with a bright yellow bill
- Grey neck and sides
- Black mask
- Brown back with dark mottling
- Yellowish-green legs.
WHERE TO FIND?
Wetlands and marshes across North America, widespread
They are migratory, spending their breeding season in northern USA and Canada before migrating back to winter in southern USA, Mexico, and Central and South America.
LIFE CYCLE
Soras make a nest out of marshy vegetation in cattails or sedges, and then lay 8-12 eggs on average. Eggs are 10-12, sometimes 6-18. Rich buff, spotted with brown. Number of eggs is large for nest, so eggs are sometimes arranged in two layers. Incubation is by both sexes, 18-20 days.
Because incubation begins after first few eggs are laid, eggs do not hatch at same time; one parent may care for downy hatchlings while other continues to incubate remaining eggs. Young leave nest shortly after hatching, are fed by both parents. Age at first flight 21-25 days.
FOOD CHAIN
Soras forages by picking items from surface of ground, water, or plants; sometimes probes with its bill in mud or among vegetation.
They commonly eat small insects and invertebrates, and the seeds from aquatic plants. Mostly seeds, insects, snails. At least at some seasons, feeds mainly on seeds, including those of smartweeds, sedges, grasses, other marsh plants. May feed heavily on wild rice in late summer and fall. Also eats a wide variety of insects, snails, other aquatic invertebrates.
They are preyed upon by predators like peregrine falcons, coyotes, great horned owls, and northern harriers. Herons, crows, coyotes, and skunks are known to eat sora eggs.
FUN FACTS
More often heard than seen, their call is a maniacal descending scream, something of a mix between a whinny and a laugh. It can be quite a baffling sound to hear at a wetland if you don’t know what it is!
NESTING
How you can help
Habitat loss is currently the biggest threat to sora. Use your voice to advocate for the protection of wetlands which are at-risk habitats where sora are found.