Thunderbird

A legendary creature in the mythology of the North American Indians, possessing supernatural power. It is believed that the giant wings of this bird raise the wind and cause thunder: flapping wings - fire breaks out, flapping - thunder thunders. It is assumed that the feathers of such birds consist of metal.

The name "Thunderbird" comes from the belief that the giant wings of this bird raise the wind and cause thunder. In the Lakota language, the bird is called WakįYą — from the words kįyą ("winged") and wakhą ("sacred"). In the Nootka language, the bird is called Kw-Uhnx-Wa, and in the Ojibwe language it is called animikii or binesi (the latter word refers only to large thunderbirds).