Which McDonald's character was introduced to promote breakfast as the chain's first breakfast-specific mascot?

Birdie the Early Bird was introduced as McDonald's first breakfast-specific mascot.

The character was created to promote McDonald's breakfast menu, which expanded nationally in the 1970s. Birdie was a bright yellow bird wearing flight goggles and a pink flight suit, visually linking her name and design to the idea of getting up early.

Her arrival reflected a major change in McDonald's branding strategy. Earlier characters often represented burgers, restaurant roles, or a general children's fantasy world; Birdie was tied to a particular daypart and encouraged customers to associate McDonald's with morning food.

Birdie is sometimes confused with the chain's earlier mascots or with generic breakfast imagery. She was a named character with a specific role in McDonald's advertising and was not simply a redesigned version of Ronald McDonald.