Gwaihir is the giant eagle who rescues Gandalf from Orthanc in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. He is called the Windlord and is the greatest of the Eagles of the Misty Mountains.
Saruman imprisons Gandalf on the summit of Orthanc after Gandalf seeks advice about the growing threat of the One Ring. Gwaihir carries him away after finding him stranded there. Later, Gwaihir helps carry Gandalf after the battle with the Balrog and participates in the final rescue of Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom.
Gwaihir should not be confused with Thorondor, the greatest Eagle of the First Age, or with Landroval, another Eagle who appears near the end of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s Eagles are sentient, powerful allies, but they do not simply solve every journey; their appearances are limited and tied to particular circumstances.