What was the name of the first female character added to McDonald's McDonaldland campaign in 1980?

Birdie the Early Bird was the first female character added to McDonald's McDonaldland campaign in 1980.

Birdie was created to promote McDonald's breakfast menu, which had become an important part of the company's business. She was a yellow bird with pink clothing and a distinctive aviator-style appearance. Her name connected directly with the idea of getting up early for breakfast.

The character joined an established cast that already included Ronald McDonald, Mayor McCheese, Officer Big Mac, and Captain Crook. Unlike characters whose identities were based mainly on burgers or restaurant imagery, Birdie gave the campaign a clear connection to a daypart: the morning.

Birdie is sometimes confused with later McDonald's characters or with the generic bird imagery used in breakfast advertising. Her defining branding role was as the early-bird mascot for breakfast. The character was introduced in 1980, during a period when McDonald's was expanding its branded storytelling beyond the restaurant's original speed-and-value message.