"Oh My God" Bird Call (North Carolina) (1 Viewer)

[RoseBlanche]

Hello. For the past three summers, I have heard a bird call that sounds very much like "Oh my gawd". I have not been able to see the bird in the tree.

Searching online, I found a video of the exact bird call posted by someone who also lives in my area of North Carolina: https://youtu.be/X0nYebz7pnk

What bird could this be?
Thanks!

 

[nartreb]

My best guess: crow. Every once in a while you'll find one that doesn't make the typical "caw" sounds and just repeats his own weird little phrase that doesn't sound anything like what you'd expect from a crow.

Your "oh my god" sound has been reported (on birdforum and elsewhere) in the Carolinas and Georgia for years, but those old threads never agreed on a definitive ID.

One suggestion that came up in an older thread, and might be right, is an icterid (grackle or blackbird, maybe rusty blackbird). But having heard an oddball crow in South Carolina very recently, that seemed an even better match to me.

Also I should point out that until you see the bird, you can almost never be certain that you aren't hearing a mockingbird or another talented mimic.

 

[RoseBlanche]

Thank you very much nartreb!

 

[Hamhed]

That is without a doubt an American Crow. I hear that sound fairly frequently in our area. Crows make an incredible variety of sounds. Recently, I recorded and posted on eBird an American Crow making a cooing sound like a dove. We also have Fish Crows here but they only fly over and make one of two calls.

Steve