Soras — Susan Kirby

Soras (Porzana carolina) are somewhat secretive marsh rails that like to hide out in cattails and reeds. While they are not particularly rare in the New York area, they are not always easy to spot. While I have seen reports of soras before, the first time I was actually able to find and photograph one was at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in September 2024.

*Sora, East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, September 3, 2024*

*Sora, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, September 3, 2024*

These birds forage on the ground for seeds, darting in and out of the reeds. When a number of people were looking for the sora, the bird tended to stay hidden. But when there were only one or two people watching for him, standing very still, this sora skitted around the marsh flowers to our great joy.

The video shows the sora (or perhaps two different soras, the first on September 3 and 6 at a large puddle pond, and a possible second sora on September 14 at a nearby puddle pond) looking for food and listening for the slightest sound that might send it back into the reeds.

The slideshows below show the sora on September 3 and 6 on the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.