Thunder Bird Island

Thunder Bird Island — In Lower St. Mary Lake there is an attractive little island known to the Indians as "Thunder Bird Island". The Indians believe that thunder is made by a large partridge-like bird flapping its wings. A party once found it on the island and took it home with them to their tipis. They showed it to the medicine man, who claimed it was a medicine bird. As long as it stayed inside, the bird kept its eyes shut, but one day they were opened and streaks of lightning came out. The bird spread its wings and flew away, its wings beating out thunder. Whenever the Indian sees lightning and hears thunder he says that the thunder bird is flying.

(This page also carries the closing entries of the Historical Briefs timeline — see the original page below.)