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Wildlife
- Birds - |
Sora
(Porzana carolina) M, B |
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RANGE: Breeds from southern Yukon and
west-central and southwestern Mackenzie to west-central and
southern Quebec and southwestern Newfoundland, south locally to
Baja California, central Arizona, New Mexico, central Illinois,
and Maryland. Winters from central California to the Gulf Coast
and southern South Carolina south to South America; occasionally
north to southern Canada.
STATUS: Common.
HABITAT: Prefers freshwater marshes, but also inhabits brackish
and salt marshes, ponds, swamps, bogs, wet grassy meadows, and
sloughs, especially those with sedges and cattails. In late
summer, concentrates in areas where food is plentiful such as in
rice fields or other seed-producing areas.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Wetlands with abundant, dense
vegetation.
NEST: Constructs a well-concealed nest that may be fastened to
or supported by reed stems on a raised platform of vegetation.
Locates nest 6 inches to over a foot above water, or
occasionally on the ground. Generally nests over water 6 to 8
inches deep, preferably among sedges.
FOOD: Primarily feeds on small mollusks and insects except in
the fall; then relies heavily on seeds in freshwater habitats
and animal foods in brackish areas. Also eats insects, mollusks,
worms, crustaceans, and small tadpoles. Eats seeds and leaves
for most of the vegetative portion of the diet.
REFERENCES: DeGraff et al. 1980, Horak 1970, Johnsgard 1975a,
Low and Mansell 1983, Meanley 1965, Odom 1977, Walkinshaw 1940,
Webster 1964. |
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