Watercolor portrait of Sora (Porzana carolina)

What does the Sora sound like at night?

Porzana carolina
Sounds at Night Heard after dark Common

Press play. If that is the sound outside, you have your answer — the Sora's "ker-WEE… ker-WEE".

ker-WEE… ker-WEE

What you're hearing

Each little whistle leans upward into its second note: ker-WEE, with a pause before the next one.

ker-WEE… ker-WEE

Birders often file this one under The rising ker-WEE.

What time of night you hear it

Dusk and after dark in freshwater marshes, spring through early fall.

Northbound migrants appear from March–May; peak nesting June–July. Southbound movement begins August, with most gone from northern marshes by late October. Winter birds are largely sedentary until spring.

Why a Sora calls at night

A descending whinny that spills down the scale like a horse laughing in the cattails — both sexes give it. The other one is a clear, rising ker-WEE. Soras are far more often heard than seen, and the marsh gets noticeably louder once the light goes.

What else could it be?

The other voices you are most likely to hear in the dark. Play them and compare.

Sora night call FAQ

What does a Sora sound like at night?
Each little whistle leans upward into its second note: ker-WEE, with a pause before the next one. Birders write it as "ker-WEE… ker-WEE".
What time of night do you hear Soras?
Dusk and after dark in freshwater marshes, spring through early fall.
Why is a Sora calling at night?
A descending whinny that spills down the scale like a horse laughing in the cattails — both sexes give it. The other one is a clear, rising ker-WEE. Soras are far more often heard than seen, and the marsh gets noticeably louder once the light goes.

More Sora sounds