Which McDonald's character was created to promote the Egg McMuffin and breakfast menu?

Birdie the Early Bird was created to promote McDonald’s breakfast menu, including the Egg McMuffin.

Birdie joined the McDonaldland character lineup in 1980, after McDonald’s had established breakfast as an important part of its business. Her bird design connected naturally with the idea of early mornings and helped give breakfast advertising a distinct character.

The Egg McMuffin had been introduced nationally in 1975, creating a major new reason for customers to visit McDonald’s in the morning. Birdie reinforced that daypart branding by appearing in commercials and promotional material associated with breakfast foods.

Birdie is sometimes confused with other McDonaldland characters because the campaign used a large cast with overlapping appearances. Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese were not created specifically as breakfast mascots. Birdie’s defining branding role was her connection to early morning and McDonald’s breakfast.