Sora Porzana carolina Scientific name definitions

The most abundant and widely distributed North American rail, the Sora breeds and winters primarily in freshwater marshes dominated by emergent vegetation, but it also occurs in brackish coastal marshes during migration. It is more often heard than seen and gives one of the most distinctive calls of any marsh bird, a loud descending whinny call: whee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee. Vernacular names for this species include Carolina Rail, Soree, Meadow Chicken, and Ortolan.

Soras feed primarily on seeds of wetland plants and on invertebrates. Wild rice is a favorite food in late summer and fall. Although appearing to be weak and reluctant fliers, Soras migrate hundreds of kilometers each spring and fall between breeding and wintering wetlands. Many of the wetlands most important to Soras rank among the most threatened in the United States, including coastal marshes in California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Texas; palustrine emergent wetlands in southern Florida and the Prairie Pothole Region; and western riparian wetlands.

The Sora is legally hunted in 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Bag limits are generally liberal, but little information is available on total harvest, population trends, or effect of harvest on populations.

Key studies of the Sora's breeding biology, ecology, and behavior have been conducted in the midwestern United States by Walkinshaw (Walkinshaw 1940b Walkinshaw, L. H. (1940b). Summer life of the Sora Rail. Auk 57:153-168. Close ), Pospichal and Marshall (Pospichal and Marshall 1954 Pospichal, L. B. and W. H. Marshall. (1954). A field study of Sora Rail and Virginia Rail in central Minnesota. Flicker 26:2-32. Close ), Tanner and Hendrickson (Tanner and Hendrickson 1956b Tanner, W. D. and G. O. Hendrickson. (1956b). Ecology of the Sora in Clay County, Iowa. Iowa Bird Life 26:78-81. Close ), and Kaufmann (Kaufmann 1983 Kaufmann, G. W. (1983). Displays and vocalizations of the Sora and the Virginia Rail. Wilson Bulletin 95:42-59. Close , Kaufmann 1987 Kaufmann, G. W. (1987). Growth and development of Sora and Virginia Rail chicks. Wilson Bulletin 99:432-440. Close , Kaufmann 1989 Kaufmann, G. W. (1989). Breeding ecology of the Sora Porzana carolina, and the Virginia Rail Rallus limicola. Canadian Field-Naturalist 103:270–282. Close ).