Which 1980 McDonald's advertising character was created to promote the chain's breakfast menu?

Birdie the Early Bird was the 1980 McDonald's advertising character created to promote breakfast.

McDonald's introduced Birdie as breakfast became an increasingly important part of the chain's business and public identity. Her name directly connected her with early mornings, while her bright bird design made her easy for children to recognize in television commercials and promotional materials.

Birdie is sometimes dated to a general period of breakfast advertising rather than to a specific year. The commonly cited introduction year is 1980. She also should not be confused with Ronald McDonald, who was the company's principal mascot and appeared across many types of advertising.

Her role illustrates a recurring McDonald's branding strategy: assign a memorable character to a menu category and use that character to make a product line more distinctive.