Sightings of the Thunderbird in Idaho have been reported for generations, often describing enormous bird-like shapes gliding silently above mountain ranges or valleys. Ranchers, travelers, and even pilots have claimed to see shadows so large they blotted out the sun for moments. In some accounts, the Thunderbird was spotted near storm fronts, reinforcing its association with violent weather. While skeptics attribute these sightings to misidentified eagles or atmospheric illusions, believers hold that the Thunderbird remains a hidden guardian of Idaho’s wild places, glimpsed only when it chooses to reveal itself. 

• 1896 – Owyhee County: Ranchers reported a massive bird soaring above the desert, casting a shadow that stretched across the canyon floor. It vanished into a thunderhead.

• 1934 – Near Salmon River: A trapper claimed to see a bird “larger than any eagle,” with a hooked beak and trailing tail feathers. It flew into a storm and disappeared.

• 1972 – Sawtooth Wilderness: Campers witnessed a dark shape circling above during a lightning storm. They described a wingspan “as wide as a barn” and a screech that echoed like thunder.

• 2001 – Boise Foothills: A hiker snapped a photo of a distant silhouette in the sky. Though blurry, the shape resembled a giant bird with extended wings and a trailing crest.