Which McDonald's mascot, introduced in 1980, was known as the Early Bird?

Birdie the Early Bird was the McDonald's mascot introduced in 1980 as the Early Bird.

Birdie was created to promote McDonald's breakfast menu, which the company was expanding as an important daypart. The character is a yellow bird with pink clothing, an aviator-style cap, and goggles, visually connecting the mascot to the idea of getting up early for breakfast.

Birdie joined a larger McDonald's character world that included Ronald McDonald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese. Unlike those characters, Birdie's main branding role was closely tied to breakfast products and morning advertising.

People sometimes confuse Birdie with later McDonald's promotional characters or assume that every mascot represented a particular menu item. Birdie's defining association was breakfast, not a single sandwich or dessert.