Native American Thunderbird

The story of the Thunderbird in Native American Mythology is popular among various Native American and First Nations peoples. We are most familiar with the stories in our area, the Pacific Northwest Coast. Thunderbird is a giant supernatural bird who causes thunder and lightning. His weapons are lightning snakes which are carried beneath his wings. Lightning flashes when he throws the lightning snakes or when he blinks his eyes. He is powerful enough to hunt Killer Whale and is often shown with one in his talons. In many Coast Salish legends, Thunderbird is a mountain dweller and is a highly intelligent creature. From his home, he keeps a close eye over his dominion. Humans should beware not to try and outwit Thunderbird for they are most certain to have it backfire.

In some Coast Salish myths, the peak Black Tusk in southern British Columbia, Canada is said to be his favorite perch. According to the Quileute people of Washington State, it is the Blue Glacier of Mount Olympus.

Art designs vary by artist but some common features found in Northwest Coast are a hooked beak, often but not always larger than that of Eagle. Thunderbird is often shown with a crown or a curly top.

Source: Understanding Northwest Coast Art by Cheryl Shearar.

Thunderbird and Killerwhale according to Joe Wilson:

The Thunderbird and Killerwhale figure prominently in Salish Legend. One such legend tells of the Salish people's great dependence on the salmon. One day the Killerwhale swam into the bay and the salmon were scared away. It was not long before the people began to starve and called out to the Thunderbird for help. The Thunderbird swooped down and grabbing the Killerwhale in his claws, carried him out to sea. The salmon returned and the people were no longer hungry.

Thunderbird from Andy Everson:

In Penlatch legend, the mountains in the Beaufort range were home to a family of fabulous Thunderbirds. They could make lightning with their eyes and flap their wings to produce thunder. They could pick up whole whales with their immense talons and bring them back to their home to eat. In short, they held dominion over the skies.

Since the time of the flood, my ancestors have been able to look up to the mountains and see Queneesh, the glacier overlooking the Comox Valley. It is a symbol of our origins and is important to our territoriality. My ancestors were always keenly aware of their environment and were conscious of the supernatural world that also surrounded them. Although they recognized that they held dominion over their territory, they also acknowledged that this dominion was flexible. It was shared with animals on the land, in the sky and under the sea. It was under the influence of the supernatural world.