Our latest patient of the week is a Sora Rail, currently in care at our San Francisco Bay center. Rehabilitation technician Isabel Luevano reports that the bird was found in Concord, CA, having apparently been caught by both a dog and cat in a backyard. There were no visible injuries on the bird except for one small puncture wound on its chest.
Good news: The bird is doing well in care, Luevano reports.
Hi
Is it common for a sora to have a totally black head? I took a picture of one of these in big bend national park, but the ones I’m familiar with have a black face but not a black head.
Thanks
Ellen
Color morphs are always a bit tricky but it’s possible that a Sora Rail’s black mask extended over its head. See more here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sora/id