Critter of the week: Sora

Species: Sora

Scientific name: Porzana carolina

Nicknames: American rail, Sora rail, Carolina crake

Claim to fame: Mourning doves may get all the hunting hype when Missouri’s dove season opens Sept. 1, but they’re not the only bird that has a Sept. 1 hunting season opener in the state. The sora, whose Missouri season runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 9, is definitely one of the lesser-known gamebirds in the state. Though the sora receives very little attention from Missouri hunters, this wetland migratory bird has a hunting season tied to its fall migrations through this region. The daily limit is 25. The sora’s erratic flight makes it a challenging target. In addition to providing sport and table fare for hunters, soras also provide viewing interest for birders.

Species status: Though still considered abundant across most of their North American range, biologists agree sora numbers have probably declined in recent decades. It’s suspected the main culprit in this drop in numbers is not hunting pressure but rather wetland habitat elimination and degradation.

First discovered: The first scientific description of the sora was written by the famed naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.

Family matters: Soras belong to the bird family Rallidae. Approximately 130 species comprise this family, but only nine reside in North America.

Length: between eight and nine inches (wingspan of 14 inches)

Diet: Seeds, insects and snails comprise the bulk of a sora’s diet.

Weight: between two and three ounces

Distinguishing characteristics: In breeding plumage, a sora’s throat and face are black and it has a short, yellowish bill. The breast and nape of the neck are gray, the back is mottled brown and the belly has black and white barring. Soras are monomorphic – which means males and females look alike. They have something of a “whinnying” call. They have a secretive nature and are much more frequently heard than seen.

Life span: Information unavailable

Habitat: Throughout their range, soras occupy freshwater wetland areas. Preferred habitat contains considerable vegetative cover for nesting and brood-rearing purposes.

Life cycle: Soras may be more widespread and numerous in Missouri than surveys indicate, but population assessment is difficult because of their shy nature. They may be an occasional nester in Missouri, but most nesting activity occurs in northern and western states and southern Canada. Courtship and nesting occur in spring and early summer. Nests consist of a shallow, basket-type structure woven from dead wetland vegetation. Nests are often built adjacent to or over water and are attached to live plant stalks in areas of dense vegetative growth. The average clutch consists of 10-12 eggs. Incubation is performed by both parents for a period of 18-20 days. The young fledge in 21-25 days. In fall, soras migrate through Missouri en route to wintering sites in the southern U.S. and Mexico. Soras are likely distributed statewide, but may not be present every year. They probably have a greater distribution in Missouri in wet years when marshy areas provide a greater abundance of habitat.