The great potoo is a nocturnal bird native to Central and South America, known for perching upright on branches during the day and calling at night with a descending, mournful wail. Recordings of its cry spread online because the sound feels almost human, like someone calling for their mother, which is how the maaawwwm nickname took hold. Clips of the bird's wide eyed stare paired with its call became a recurring meme format, and the audio is now reused on its own in edits far removed from wildlife videos.