Sora (Porzana carolina)
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA) · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)
BirdsIn Lorain County, Ohio

Sora

Porzana carolina (Linnaeus, 1758)

Sora in all of Ohio
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Family
Rallidae
Genus
Porzana

Conservation status

Species of concern in Ohio (Ohio Division of Wildlife, June 2026)

Ohio's Division of Wildlife names it as one that might become threatened in Ohio under continued or increased stress, or one it has some concern for but too little information to judge. It is not listed as endangered or threatened.

Near Lorain County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 1 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (0)
  • Within its mapped range (64)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (22)
  • Recorded, season not shown (1)
  • Season shown (1)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Range: USGS Gap Analysis Project, Species Range Maps CONUS_2001 (2018). Show as a table
Counties as a table
Sora by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecordsIn mapped range
Adams CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Allen CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Ashland CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Ashtabula CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Athens CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Auglaize CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Belmont CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer, migration
Brown CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Butler CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Carroll CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Champaign CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Clark CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Clermont CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Clinton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Columbiana CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Coshocton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Crawford CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Cuyahoga CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Darke CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Defiance CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Delaware CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Erie CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Fairfield CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer, migration
Fayette CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Franklin CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Fulton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Gallia CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Geauga CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Greene CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer, migration
Guernsey CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer, migration
Hamilton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer, migration
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Hardin CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Henry CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Highland CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Hocking CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Holmes CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Huron CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Jackson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Jefferson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Knox CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Lake CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Lawrence CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Licking CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Logan CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Lorain County23 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Lucas County30 · Season shownYes: summer
Madison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer, migration
Mahoning CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Marion CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Medina CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Meigs CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Mercer CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Miami CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Montgomery CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Morgan CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Morrow CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Muskingum CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer, migration
Noble CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Ottawa CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Paulding CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Perry CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer, migration
Pickaway CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Pike CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Portage CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Preble CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Putnam CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Richland CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Ross CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Sandusky CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Scioto CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Seneca CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Shelby CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Stark CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Summit CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Trumbull CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Tuscarawas CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Union CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Van Wert CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Vinton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Warren CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer, migration
Washington CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Wayne CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Williams CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Wood CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Wyandot CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer

Season

When it is recorded

In Lorain County

Not enough evidence

The weeks are still too uncertain to show a season. Based on 23 records in 7 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, above the minimum of 20 records from 5 different years.
Show over the bars
Recording in Lorain County · records of all species each week, 26,475 in all

Records per week from 23 records in 7 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Sora in Lorain County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of SoraYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–1000193
Jan 11–1700115
Jan 18–240075
Jan 25–310059
Feb 1–700101
Feb 8–140099
Feb 15–210084
Feb 22–280049
Mar 1–700114
Mar 8–1400103
Mar 15–2111258
Mar 22–2800139
Mar 29 – Apr 400228
Apr 5–1100376
Apr 12–1800561
Apr 19–2532560
Apr 26 – May 2851,122
May 3–932824
May 10–1611793
May 17–2311901
May 24–3000886
May 31 – Jun 600771
Jun 7–1300797
Jun 14–20001,124
Jun 21–2700954
Jun 28 – Jul 400770
Jul 5–1100973
Jul 12–1800957
Jul 19–25001,240
Jul 26 – Aug 100912
Aug 2–800907
Aug 9–1511769
Aug 16–2200768
Aug 23–2900788
Aug 30 – Sep 511959
Sep 6–1211907
Sep 13–1911817
Sep 20–2600745
Sep 27 – Oct 321508
Oct 4–1000597
Oct 11–1700343
Oct 18–2400426
Oct 25–3100297
Nov 1–700278
Nov 8–1400210
Nov 15–2100121
Nov 22–2800100
Nov 29 – Dec 500118
Dec 6–120060
Dec 13–1900224
Dec 20–2600187
Dec 27 – Jan 200208

In Ohio

Mid-April to late September, middle week May 3–9

Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 220 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.

Recorded on 163 dates. Latest record: October 2025.

Show as a table
Records of Sora in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of SoraYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–10006,211
Jan 11–17005,146
Jan 18–24004,645
Jan 25–31004,698
Feb 1–7006,023
Feb 8–14005,888
Feb 15–21005,436
Feb 22–28006,846
Mar 1–7008,321
Mar 8–140010,384
Mar 15–211112,620
Mar 22–280013,949
Mar 29 – Apr 40019,661
Apr 5–110026,860
Apr 12–184339,925
Apr 19–25291041,623
Apr 26 – May 231856,391
May 3–955952,952
May 10–1642753,785
May 17–2312657,698
May 24–301154,651
May 31 – Jun 61153,099
Jun 7–134253,700
Jun 14–203256,625
Jun 21–270055,361
Jun 28 – Jul 40058,477
Jul 5–111161,336
Jul 12–183364,722
Jul 19–250069,753
Jul 26 – Aug 10059,416
Aug 2–81159,712
Aug 9–151155,994
Aug 16–220054,328
Aug 23–293351,772
Aug 30 – Sep 54257,167
Sep 6–122159,075
Sep 13–195354,543
Sep 20–264445,860
Sep 27 – Oct 32143,180
Oct 4–107437,841
Oct 11–172230,824
Oct 18–241121,156
Oct 25–311119,021
Nov 1–70014,172
Nov 8–140012,621
Nov 15–21007,965
Nov 22–28008,136
Nov 29 – Dec 5006,083
Dec 6–12006,004
Dec 13–19005,423
Dec 20–26005,661
Dec 27 – Jan 2008,459

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Identification

How to identify it

Often confused with

  • Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata30 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Virginia Rail Rallus limicola16 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • European Starling Sturnus vulgaris10 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

When it is heard

Reported with a sound recording, too few times for a season.

From 1 iNaturalist records with a sound recording. Sounds are not kept or played here. Listen on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)

Months not reported

  1. Jan: no record
  2. Feb: no record
  3. Mar: recorded
  4. Apr: recorded
  5. May: recorded
  6. Jun: recorded
  7. Jul: recorded
  8. Aug: recorded
  9. Sep: recorded
  10. Oct: recorded
  11. Nov: no record
  12. Dec: no record

Not reported in Ohio in November to February, 2016 to 2025.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Wetland40%5%
Developed29%49%
Farmland18%11%
Forest5%31%
Barren3%0.6%
Grassland and shrub3%0.9%
Open water2%3%

From 62 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Ohio result

220 records from 2 datasets.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.