McDonald’s launched the breakfast mascot Birdie the Early Bird in 1980.
Birdie was created to promote McDonald’s breakfast menu and to give the company a character specifically associated with morning food. Her name and appearance connected her directly with the idea of being early and starting the day.
The character joined McDonald’s broader advertising cast, which already included figures such as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, and the Hamburglar. Unlike characters centered on burgers or playful restaurant antics, Birdie helped communicate the expansion of McDonald’s into breakfast.
The question identifies the company rather than asking for Birdie’s name because the mascot is sometimes confused with unrelated breakfast characters from cereal or other food advertising. Birdie belongs to McDonald’s branding history.