Porzana carolina 

Sora
Carolina Rail

Florida native

Click on any image to open the slideshow

Soras can be found in marshes throughout Florida in the winter. The non-breeding range also includes the southern coasts of the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. Breeding range (April-July) spans much of the lower half of Canada, the northern United States plus the western mountain states south into Arizona and New Mexico. Migration includes all those states in between breeding and non-breeding. Also called Carolina rails, they are the most abundant and widespread rails in North America.
These birds look somewhat like skinny tiny chickens. The feather pattern is mottled gray and brown with white edged feathers. Distinctive is the yellow bill and black face patch and throat. Females are drabber, with less black on the face and throat. Juveniles have no black face mask. The legs are a greenish yellow.

Porzana carolina is a member of the Rallidae - Rails & Coots family.

For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Cornell All About Birds page for this species

Date record last modified: Nov 11, 2018