I1 — Thunderbirds, A284.2.

Creatures that cause or embody rain and/or thunderstorms are birds or winged anthropomorphic characters. {Traditions in which birds are associated with thunderstorms and rain, but Thunder itself is not a bird, are marked with an asterisk (*).

Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 3, Cosmogony, the earth and the sky, etiology of the elements, natural and biological phenomena (fire, water, soil, thunderstorms, dream, etc.), cataclysms and cosmic threats, spirits of nature.

This motif has been recorded in 182 traditions: Sumer, Kabylia and other Berber of Northern and Central Algeria: Beni Snous, Beni Menacer (incl Zuav), Shaui, etc.), Acoli (Acholi), Lur (Alur, Luri), Lango, Zande (Azande, incl Nzakara), Kalenjin; including Sabaot, Nandi (Nande), Arusha, Kipsigis, Pokot (Suk), Keiyo (Elgeiyo), Marakwet, Sebeei, Yao, Makua, Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Tonga, Malawi (incl Nyanja, Banyanja, Manganja), Tumbuka (incl Henga), Nsenga, Matengo, (Ba)Wenda, Luba (Baluba, Luba-Katanga, Shaba), (Ba)Holoholo, Tumbwe, Bena-Piana, Tabwa, Benabena-Mitumba, Zela, Bene-Marungu, Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Yaka (in Angola and Congo), Lozi (Losi, Rotse, Barotse), Lui, Subiya (Subia), Zulu, Swazi, Kosa (Xosa, Xhosa), Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Maka (Makaa), Baya, Kaka, Fon, Ewe, Bushmen (all groups), Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), Batak (Toba, Dairi), Karen, Pa-O, Padaung, Kayah, Semang, Senoi, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Li , Basques, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Finns, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Ingush, Tats, Turkmen, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Chuvash, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Nenets, Nganasans, Kets, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Western Tungus (Evenki), Western Siberia Tungus (Evenki): Sym River, Ket River, Ainu, Udeghe, Uilta (Orok), Nivkh, Chukchi, Asiatic Eskimo (Sirenek, Naukan, Chaplino), St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Aleuts, Central Yupik, Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey, Hare (K'ahsho Got'ine), Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross, Tutchone, Tagish, Inland Tlingit, Tsetsaut, Denaina, Ingalik (Der Hit’an), Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Beaver, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Copper, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Heiltsuk (Bellabella), Oowekeeno, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Eastern Cree, Naskapi, Menominee, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Winnebago, Blackfoot, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Shawnee, Yuchi, Arapaho, Teton (incl Oglala), Omaha, Ponca, Iowa, Arikara, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Kiowa, Comanche, Gros Ventre, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Assiniboine, Crow, Hidatsa, Carrier, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lillooet, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Comox, Pentlatch, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Twana (Skokomish), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Quileute, Chemakum (Hoh), Quinault, Tillamook, Coos, Flathead, Kutenai, Lower Chinook (Chinook proper), Klamath, Modoc, Choctaw, Chicasaw, Yuki (Yuki proper, Coastal Yuki, Huchnob), Pomo, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, Plains Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Achomavi, Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Upland Yuma: Walapai, Havasupai, Yavapai, Ute, Southern Paiute, Navajo, Hopi, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Eastern Keres (Cochiti, Sia, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana, Paguate, Seama), Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Chinantec, Mazatec, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Sanema, Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Wapishana (incl Ataroi); Mapidian; Taruma, Akuriyo (incl Turaekare), Baniwa (incl. Wakuenai), Bare, Piapoco, Curripaco, Siusi, Guarikena , Aimara, Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Bolivian Guarani: Chiriguano (including assimilated Chane Arawaks), Pauserna (=Guarasu), Guarayu, Tapiete, Tupari, Makurap, Sakirap, Ajuru (Wayoro), Kuikuro, Kalapalo, Calapalo, Bororo, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Cariri, Sanapana, Lengua (incl Angaite), Makka, Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon, Ayoreo, Chamacoco (Ishir), Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá), Caduveo, Mbaya, Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Ache (Guayaki), Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet, Chechens, Kayapa, Yellowknife, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Nauru, Russian Federation, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)