Thunderbird

The Thunderbird is a large, magical avian beast native to North America, known for its ability to create storms as it flies and to sense impending danger. While not mentioned in the original seven Harry Potter novels, the Thunderbird holds a significant place in the wider wizarding world, most notably as the symbol for one of the four houses of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and as a source for powerful wand cores. All canonical information regarding the Thunderbird comes from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film series and supplementary writings by J.K. Rowling.

The Thunderbird is a majestic beast with an appearance resembling a large bird of prey. It possesses a head often compared to that of an eagle or a Hippogriff and has multiple powerful wings that shimmer with cloud-and-sun-like patterns. (Pottermore) The creature's primary magical abilities are directly linked to weather and precognition:

• Storm Generation: By flapping its wings, a Thunderbird can generate powerful storms, including torrential rain and lightning. This ability is potent enough to affect the weather over a large area, such as an entire city. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film)
• Danger Intuition: Thunderbirds possess an innate and highly accurate ability to sense danger. This precognitive sense makes them incredibly difficult to surprise and is a trait that can be passed on to wands that use their tail feathers as a core. (Pottermore)

The Thunderbird is native to the arid climate of Arizona in the United States. They are powerful and noble creatures, but can be targeted by traffickers for their valuable tail feathers. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film, Pottermore)

The Thunderbird is highly respected in the North American wizarding community for its power and significance.

• Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: The Thunderbird is one of the four house symbols at the American school of magic, Ilvermorny. The house was named by Chadwick Boot, one of the school's founders, after his favorite magical beast. Thunderbird house is said to favor adventurers. A carved wooden Thunderbird in the school's entrance hall will beat its wings to signify its choice when selecting a student for its house. (Pottermore)
• Wandlore: The tail feather of a Thunderbird can be used as a wand core. The American wand-maker Shikoba Wolfe was famous for using these cores. Wands with a Thunderbird tail feather core are known to be powerful and are particularly effective for Transfiguration. Due to the creature's ability to sense danger, these wands can sometimes cast protective spells and curses on their own when they perceive a threat to their owner. They are considered difficult to master. (Pottermore)

• Frank: A male Thunderbird rescued by Magizoologist Newt Scamander from magical beast traffickers in Egypt in the 1920s. Frank had a distinguishing injury on one of his legs from the chains used to restrain him. Newt intended to return him to his natural habitat in Arizona. In 1926, Frank played a crucial role in erasing the memories of the entire No-Maj population of New York following the public exposure of magic caused by an Obscurus. At the request of MACUSA, Frank flew through the sky, creating a rainstorm which was infused with a diluted Swooping Evil venom potion, successfully performing a mass Obliviation on the city. He was then allowed to fly free to Arizona. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film)

• The Thunderbird is not mentioned in the original seven Harry Potter novels. Its lore was developed by J.K. Rowling for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film franchise and through writings on the Pottermore (now Wizarding World) website.
• The creature is based on the Thunderbird from the mythology of various Indigenous peoples of North America, a legendary creature often considered a powerful supernatural being.