The Elusive Sora

Sora - Meads Bay Pond IBA

Each Fall the Sora is on my radar. It is elusive and more often I hear it rather than see it.

Birds of the World shares the following insights:

“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.”

The Sora has the following characteristics:

“Medium-sized rail (20–25 cm total length); plump, grayish brown, with greenish legs and long toes. Adult mass averages 71.9–88.0 g, range 49–112; mean mass of males greater than that of females (see Appendix 1). Adults of both sexes have similar plumage, although females (slightly smaller) average less black on the face and throat, and usually have duskier bills (Pospichal and Marshall 1954, Ripley 1977). Immatures lack black on face, chin, and throat; have white chin and buffy throat, but they molt into an adult-like plumage by late in the first fall or winter.”

It is the only rail species to visit Anguilla.

Sora feeding on the edge of East End Pond

This bird is considered a “scarce visitor” to Anguilla and is seen between October and April. It enjoys feeding in the shallow perimeter of the ponds where the seeds of wetland plants and invertebrates are plentiful.

Its favored locations include: East End, Forest Bay, Meads, Merrywing, and West-End-By-The-Sea Ponds.

Photographers looking to snap this bird will find it challenging as they are rarely seen in good light - if at all.

Sora Feeding on Pond Weed

I have been stalking a Sora on East End Pond for several weeks. It pops out and then darts back into cover under the mangroves. During the March 3rd Wild Side Walk, I alerted the group that it was present but was unlikely to show. When we reached the bird’s favored location, it was in the open for everyone to enjoy. What a treat!

I returned the next day to find not one, but three, birds feeding in the same spot. Once again, the light was not on my side. However, seeing three birds at one time was a special experience. Their elusive nature means this species is likely undercounted on Anguilla.

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Citation

Melvin, S. M. and J. P. Gibbs (2020).Sora(Porzana carolina), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.sora.01