The Sora (Porzana carolina), is a small water bird of the Rallidae bird family. It is sometimes referred to as the Sora Rail or Sora Crake. Its breeding habitat is marshes throughout much of North America. They migrate to the southern United States and northern South America.

Adults Soras are 7 to 8.25 inches long, with dark-marked brown upperparts, a blue-gray face and underparts, and black and white barring on the flanks. They have a short thick yellow bill, with black markings on the face at the base of the bill and on the throat. Sexes are similar, but young Soras lack the black facial markings and have a whitish face and buff breast.

They nest in a well-concealed location in dense vegetation. The female usually lays 10 to 12 eggs, sometimes as many as 18, in a cup built from marsh vegetation. The eggs do not all hatch together. Both parents incubate and feed the young, who leave the nest soon after they hatch and are able to fly within a month.

Soras forage while walking or swimming. They are omnivores, eating seeds, insects and snails. Although Soras are more often heard than seen, they are sometimes seen walking near open water. They are fairly common, despite a decrease in suitable habitat in recent times. The call is a slow whistled ku-vu.

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