Sora
Porzana carolina
Fairly small rail; short yellow bill, black face, and gray neck distinctive. Found in marshes with grasses or reeds; generally shy but often seen foraging at the edge of shallow water. Buffy juvenile often mistaken for much more secretive Yellow Rail; note different back pattern and the fact that if you see the bird well enough to actually note the back pattern, it is probably not a Yellow Rail. Common call is a descending high-pitched whinny; also gives a whistled "per-WEE" call somewhat like spring peeper but clearer and consistently two parted.
Identification
Fairly small rail; short yellow bill, black face, and gray neck distinctive. Found in marshes with grasses or reeds; generally shy but often seen foraging at the edge of shallow water. Buffy juvenile often mistaken for much more secretive Yellow Rail; note different back pattern and the fact that if you see the bird well enough to actually note the back pattern, it is probably not a Yellow Rail. Common call is a descending high-pitched whinny; also gives a whistled "per-WEE" call somewhat like spring peeper but clearer and consistently two parted.
Taxonomy
Genus: Porzana; Family: Rallidae; Order: Gruiformes.
- Scientific name
- Porzana carolina
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Porzana
Range and habitat
Breeding range: NA : widespread. Non-breeding range: s USA to n, nw SA.
- Breeding range
- NA : widespread
- Non-breeding range
- s USA to n, nw SA
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: rising.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
African Broadbill
Smithornis capensis
Small, chunky, brown-and-white bird that shows a very broad bill when seen from below. Found in forest and thick woodland. It is shy and inconspicuous except when displaying. Displaying birds fly in a tight circle, with the white rump feathers puffed out, making a loud braying sound by clapping the wings together at incredibly fast speed. Similar to Rufous-sided and Gray-headed broadbills, but lacks rufous on the breast.
Dideric Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx caprius
A small, greenish cuckoo. The male has barred flanks, white flecking on the wing, white patches in front of and behind the eye, and a distinctly red eye surrounded by a red eye-ring. The bronzy-green female has a diagnostic white patch in front of the eye, a plain back, and white patches in the wings. This common resident and migrant is not a habitat specialist, but it prefers riverine and wetland areas where its preferred brood-parasite hosts, weavers and bishops, are common. The distinctive call is a loud, rising, high-pitched “deee-deee-deee-deee-dederik”.
Green Malkoha
Ceuthmochares australis
Odd, dark, green-and-gray cuckoo with a bright yellow bill. Found in thick habitats including forest, forest edge, and thickets. Skulks in the thickest parts of the mid-story, especially preferring vine tangles. Call starts with a hesitant series of high “kik” notes, eventually followed by a long, accelerating trill. Dark coloration and yellow bill are distinctive. Range does not overlap with the similar Blue Malkoha.
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