Thunder Birds
The Mysterious Thunderbird: Myth or Reality?
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Is it a bird? Perhaps. A plane? Unlikely. What exactly it is, no one knows for sure, but the Thunderbird has been a part of human mythology and sightings for centuries, dating as far back as Native American traditions. With wingspans reportedly reaching up to 20 feet, the Thunderbird is said to be a massive creature, dominating the skies. According to legend, this cryptid possesses the ability to summon thunderclaps with the flapping of its wings and can even shoot lightning from its eyes.
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One early account from two men who allegedly killed a Thunderbird described the creature as having wings like a bat and a head resembling an alligator. By modern standards, encountering such a creature would be terrifying, but millions of years ago—between 150.8 and 148.5 million years ago—a similar bird-like creature existed: the Pterodactyl. While it seems improbable that a species as large as the Pterodactyl could survive in hiding for so many years, new species are discovered every day. Some believe that prehistoric creatures such as the Megalodon or Plesiosaur have survived into modern times and may be responsible for certain mysterious sightings.
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The Thunderbird’s origins are deeply rooted in Native American folklore, where it is often depicted as a powerful and supernatural being. Over the years, it has continued to make appearances in modern reports of cryptid sightings. In fact, there has been a rash of recent sightings across the United States, particularly in the northeastern regions, with many reports coming from Pennsylvania. Since the early 2000s, multiple sightings of the Thunderbird have been recorded, including one as recently as January 2018 in Chestnut Ridge, Pennsylvania.
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Some believe that the Thunderbird may travel on the drafts of weather systems, hitching a ride on storms and appearing alongside thunder and lightning. Researchers have even speculated that the Thunderbird could be large Condors that have been displaced by storm systems, explaining the sightings in different parts of the country.
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So, what exactly is the Thunderbird? Given the number of birdwatchers and the widespread use of cell phone cameras today, if such a creature exists, it seems unlikely that it will remain hidden for much longer. So the next time someone says, “Look, up in the sky—it’s a bird, it’s a plane,” it might just be a very big bird. And if it is, be careful—it may carry more than just thunder in its wake!
