Bird in North Central Texas (1 Viewer)

[Scrogdog]

Was coming home from town and turned corner to get on road I live on and this bird was standing in the middle of the road. My first thought was it must be a young chicken because it didn't run to get away when I stepped out of my truck to take pictures and it wasn't any kind of wild bird I see around here at any time of the year. Only wild bird that came to mind was a Sora, but it would be quite a ways from it's summer or winter range here. Only place I've ever seen one is in the Rio Grande Valley during the Winter season. Could be migrating I guess. Any suggestions?

 

[Ruff-Leg]

Surely looks like a juvenile Sora, but looks out of place in those dried grasses!

 

[nartreb]

It's a sora -- an immature one. E-bird shows rare September sightings throughout Texas, at least in places with both water and birders. I'm not sure what "north central Texas" means, but there was a sighting this month in Abilene, a few in the Dallas area, and a couple near Amarillo. You do see way more on the Gulf coast in winter, and much further north (like Colorado) in summer, but they seem to wander into (or hide in?) the northern part of the state year-round.

 

[KC Foggin]

Yes, an immature Sora!

 

[Scrogdog]

Thanks for the confirmation. North Central Texas is considered to be that area of Texas generally around Dallas and Fort Worth up to the Red River which borders Oklahoma. Abilene is about 150 miles west of here. This particular bird was about 40 miles north, northwest of Fort Worth on way to Wichita Falls. I was pretty sure it was a young Sora, but knew this wasn't where I would expect to see one. When I do, it's in the RG Valley usually in the reeds around a body of water.