page_title: Thunderbird (mythology)
section_title: Algonquian
hierarchical_section_title: Thunderbird (mythology) / Algonquian
caption_attribution_description: English: ThunderBird Rock Carved Petroglyph in West Central Wisconsin
context_page_description: The thunderbird is a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture. It is considered a supernatural being of power and strength. It is especially important, and frequently depicted, in the art, songs and oral histories of many Pacific Northwest Coast cultures, but is also found in various forms among some peoples of the American Southwest, East Coast of the United States, Great Lakes, and Great Plains.
context_section_description: In Algonquian mythology, the thunderbird controls the upper world while the underworld is controlled by the underwater panther or Great Horned Serpent. The thunderbird throws lightning at the underworld creatures and creates thunder by flapping its wings. Thunderbirds in this tradition are commonly depicted as having an X-shaped appearance. This varies from a simple X to recognizable birds. The X-shaped thunderbird is often used to depict  the thunderbird with its wings alongside its body and the head facing forwards instead of in profile.
caption: Thunderbirds carved in sandstone wall at Twin Bluff, Juneau County, Wisconsin, by prehistoric artist(s)
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