Which McDonald's character was designed as the chain's first female McDonaldland character in 1980?

Birdie the Early Bird was designed as McDonald's first female McDonaldland character in 1980.

Birdie was created for the breakfast-focused side of McDonald's advertising. Her yellow bird design, pink clothing, and association with morning food made her immediately distinguishable from the chain's other fictional personalities.

Her arrival broadened the character group beyond the earlier figures associated with hamburgers, mischief, and restaurant leadership. The character also reflected the importance of breakfast to McDonald's, which had expanded the Egg McMuffin nationally in the 1970s.

This fact is sometimes mixed up with Birdie's advertising purpose: she was both the first female McDonaldland character and a breakfast mascot. Those descriptions identify the same character, but the gender milestone refers to her place within the fictional cast, not to the first woman ever shown in a McDonald's advertisement.