In Zulu mythology, what is the name of the lightning bird?

In Zulu mythology, the lightning bird is called the impundulu.

The impundulu is a legendary bird associated with thunder, lightning, witchcraft, and blood-drinking. Its name literally means “lightning bird.” Folklore commonly describes it as a huge black-and-white bird, sometimes as large as a person, whose wings and talons summon storms. In some accounts, it can also appear in human form, often as an attractive young man who seduces women.

The impundulu is frequently portrayed as a witch’s familiar or servant. It is said to attack enemies, cause illness, and carry out supernatural commands. Stories also connect lightning strikes with buried eggs or with the bird’s supernatural fat, which was believed in some traditions to have medicinal or magical value.

The creature is sometimes associated with the hamerkop, a real African bird that some communities regard as a manifestation of the lightning bird. That does not mean the impundulu is a zoological species: it belongs to southern African folklore, and descriptions vary between communities. Other names include thekwane, izulu, and inyoni yezulu.