In McDonald’s branding history, what was the name of the yellow bird introduced in 1980?

Birdie the Early Bird was the yellow bird introduced to McDonald’s branding in 1980.

Birdie was created to promote McDonald’s breakfast menu and was presented as an energetic member of the McDonaldland cast. The character’s name connected directly with the breakfast daypart, helping the company give its morning products a distinct advertising identity.

Birdie is sometimes confused with later food-shaped or bird-related advertising characters, but “Birdie the Early Bird” is the canonical McDonald’s character name. She also belongs to a later stage of McDonaldland branding than Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and the Hamburglar. Her introduction showed how McDonald’s used characters not only to build a fictional world but also to spotlight specific menu categories.