Buzz
Ask any child from nearly any part of the world, and they’ll immediately recognize Big Bird. But how well do we really understand this giant yellow character? At first glance, he’s a charming figure from Sesame Street, towering at 249 cm (8’2″) with huge orange feet. Yet behind his colorful feathers lies a mind full of extraordinary ideas, like reciting the alphabet as one long word or bidding farewell to a dear friend.
After over five decades of gracing the world’s most beloved children’s show, you’d think we’d know everything about Big Bird. Yet, he’s still got a few surprises. For example, he’s mingled with Darth Vader and the Queen of England. He’s even held significant political influence and once caused a presidential contender’s downfall without lifting a feather! And as if that weren’t enough, he’s survived multiple assassination attempts. While we’re not counting our chicks before they hatch, we bet you’ll enjoy learning these fun facts about the most flighty member of the Sesame Street crew.
10. He’s Not Real (Shhh, Don’t Tell the Kids)
Yes, it’s true – a person is inside that iconic yellow suit. The man who brought Big Bird to life is Caroll Spinney, a talented puppeteer who first met Jim Henson in 1962.
Despite a difficult childhood, with a loving mother overshadowed by an abusive father, Spinney still managed to channel the magic and joy of childhood through Big Bird. In a unique twist, Spinney also voiced the iconic Oscar the Grouch.
Controlling the bird costume is a complex challenge. The puppeteer stands tall and raises his right arm to lift Big Bird’s head. The mouth is manipulated with his hand, while the eyes are controlled with his little finger. A string links the right arm to the left, so when one moves, the other follows. Big Bird’s suit weighs 4.5 kilograms (10 lb), his head 1.8 kilograms (4 lb), and, according to writer Louise Gikow, the heat inside the suit can be “unbearable.”
Since the puppeteer is completely enclosed in the costume and cannot see, he wears a TV monitor strapped to his chest. Spinney jokingly called it his electronic bra. He also attached his script to the monitor, meaning he was reading, watching the screen, and controlling every part of the suit, all while trying to walk without tripping over carpets, TV cables, and more. If this sounds like a lot to juggle, it certainly was.
In October 2018, Caroll Spinney, at the age of 84, retired from Sesame Street. He passed on the role of Big Bird to his understudy, Matt Vogel.
9. The Family
It makes perfect sense that Big Bird would belong to a big family. Raised by Granny Bird, there are occasional mentions of his mom and dad, as well as a sister named Esmeralda. Big Bird left Granny’s care when he was still a chick, and the next time anyone saw him, he was on Sesame Street. It seems he enjoys the rougher side of town, as he set up his nest next to the trash of Oscar the Grouch.
Among Big Bird’s extended family are Uncle Slim, a cowbird from Wyoming, and a grandfather who’s said to be an emu. He has about 15 cousins featured in different stories. There’s his identical twin cousin, Herman, Cousin Bubba from the North Pole, and a surfer cousin named Floyd, who calls Los Angeles home. Also in the mix are a baker cousin, a policeman, and a fireman, to name just a few.
Big Bird’s human family consists of Gordon, Luis, Maria, Bob, and Mr. Hooper. As for Muppet neighbors, over 1,000 have come and gone since the show first aired in 1969. Though the reason for Big Bird’s departure from home is never fully explained, it’s clear to his millions of fans—who wouldn’t want to live on Sesame Street?
8. The Stunts
As a fully interactive character, Big Bird has been part of countless hilarious situations on Sesame Street. He’s shown off a wide array of talents, from roller-skating and ice-skating to dancing, singing, writing poetry, drawing, riding horses, and even performing on a unicycle.
Given the complexity of maneuvering in the costume, it’s amazing to consider how Big Bird could roller-skate or ride a unicycle. These are feats that many people struggle with, yet Big Bird manages to do it in a massive suit with oversized feet (and keep in mind, the puppeteer’s arm is raised high and they’re essentially blindfolded).
The crew behind Sesame Street has been fairly secretive about how these tricks are pulled off, and Spinney himself is humble about his acrobatics. When asked about riding the unicycle, he explained, “As for the unicycle, I don’t know how to ride one. It’s the suit, it’s all the suit.” If a great performer is someone who can make the impossible seem effortless, Spinney certainly fits the role.
7. Accosted And Stabbed!
Stabbed? Well, it certainly seemed that way at first. During a live show for children on Sesame Street, the producers were trying out the new technology of wireless microphones, and Big Bird had one tucked inside his suit. However, the team didn’t realize they needed to clear the airwaves, and to everyone’s shock, the microphone picked up a trucker on his CB radio making plans with his girlfriend. Before things got too explicit, the feed was cut, and a regular microphone was inserted into Big Bird’s costume. Problem solved? Not quite. To the children in the audience, it appeared as though Big Bird had been stabbed in the chest.
Spinney also recalled a disturbing incident from the 1970s when Big Bird was attacked. Scheduled to perform for 6,000 people at Georgia Tech University, Spinney left the costume in an empty storeroom while he went out for lunch. Upon returning to the outdoors, Spinney saw ROTC members walking away with large yellow feathers in their hats. Panicked, he rushed back to the storeroom and found Big Bird had been accosted. The suit had several bald patches, and one of the eyes had been ripped out in an attempt to steal it as a souvenir.
Spinney was devastated, feeling as if he had left his beloved creation in danger. He promised to be much more vigilant in the future.
6. Space Age Brush With Death
In the 1980s, as the US space program reached new heights, NASA devised a clever marketing strategy to engage the public and draw attention away from the escalating costs of the shuttle program. The idea was to send an ordinary citizen into space, but someone came up with the quirky idea of inviting Big Bird!
When NASA launched its civilian astronaut program, over 11,000 people applied, including well-known figures like Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw. But the amusing image of Big Bird floating in space continued to captivate the imagination. Although Caroll Spinney never applied, NASA approached him with an offer to send Big Bird into orbit around the Earth.
After some deliberation, Spinney agreed to the plan. However, it quickly became evident that Big Bird’s large size made him unsuitable for the cramped space, leading to the cancellation of the idea. In the end, schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe was selected to be part of the crew of Space Shuttle Challenger.
On January 28, 1986, the nation watched in awe, with millions of schoolchildren among the audience. Spinney and his wife were present, holding hands as they watched the Challenger take flight. What was a moment of anticipation soon turned to tragedy when the shuttle exploded, claiming the lives of all seven crew members aboard.
From a public relations standpoint, this was the worst outcome possible—wasn’t it? The tragedy of losing a beloved teacher was already heartbreaking, but what if it had been Big Bird involved instead?
5. The Globe-Trotter and Spy
Big Bird is the ultimate international traveler, having toured the world with concerts, live performances, and book tours. His adventures have taken him to Australia, Japan, across Europe, and even to China for a special, Big Bird in China, where he spent three weeks on location.
Caroll Spinney recalls that during their time filming in China, the translators were convinced the Sesame Street crew were actually spies, submitting detailed reports on every activity they engaged in.
One of Big Bird’s most cherished roles is making special guest appearances with various orchestras. A standout moment was when he joined the Boston Pops, and conductor Arthur Fiedler graciously stepped aside, allowing the giant yellow bird to take the baton.
4. Big Bird’s A-List
A true celebrity in his own right, Big Bird has mingled with A-listers from all walks of life. He’s visited the White House multiple times and shared moments with the wives of at least six presidents. Perhaps most memorably, he danced with Michelle Obama in the supermarket’s produce aisle. He’s made appearances on a variety of TV shows, such as The Ed Sullivan Show, Hollywood Squares, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Extreme Makeover, and Saturday Night Live.
Big Bird has garnered admiration from other famous faces, including the Queen of England, Darth Vader, NSYNC, Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame, the Dixie Chicks, and the Rockettes. However, he remains just as delighted to spend time with the children who visit Sesame Street.
3. Species of Origin
What exactly is Big Bird? That's a tough question, even for Big Bird himself. Despite numerous studies, the true species of this beloved character remains unclear, with various explanations offering conflicting answers.
In 1976, during an appearance on Hollywood Squares, host Peter Marshall asked Big Bird about his species. To which Big Bird proudly replied, “I’m a Lark.” Then, in 1981, while visiting Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, he claimed to be a “golden condor.” During the 1987 A Muppet Family Christmas special, Ma Bear referred to him as a giant canary, while the Swedish Chef humorously called him a turkey named “Gobbla Gobbla Humungo.” A 1998 book, Sesame Street Unpaved, even gave him the scientific name Biggius canarius, perhaps suggesting he's a variety of canary.
Big Bird has also been described as a homing pigeon and a Rockin’ Robin after his performance of the iconic song. Others have classified him as a cassowary, ibis, or crane. Finally, Big Bird attributes his inability to fly to his Grandpa, an emu. “Emus can’t fly, but they can run. Every fall, he ran south for the winter,” said Big Bird.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter what type of bird Big Bird is. What matters is that he brings joy to everyone around him. He's loved by all, except for maybe Oscar the Grouch. Having been around for nearly five decades, Big Bird shows no signs of retiring anytime soon. As you read this, Big Bird and his writers are likely already planning more exciting adventures to delight the next generation of children.
2. On Dying
Mr. Hooper was a beloved figure in Big Bird's life. Although a bit grumpy at times, the shopkeeper always showed kindness to his feathered friend, often treating him to a birdseed milkshake.
When Will Lee, the actor behind Mr. Hooper, tragically passed away from a heart attack in December 1982, the Sesame Street team was unsure of how to approach the sensitive topic. How would they explain Mr. Hooper's absence? The decision was made to turn this moment into a teaching opportunity and openly discuss the reality of death as a part of life.
The “Farewell Mr. Hooper” episode became one of the most poignant episodes in Sesame Street's history, earning widespread acclaim and several daytime TV awards. As Caroll Spinney reflected, “It was one of the best things we ever did.”
In May 1990, Jim Henson tragically passed away from pneumonia. His memorial service, held in New York City, featured a moving moment when Big Bird performed Henson’s iconic song, “Bein’ Green.” In a heartfelt tribute to his dear friend, Spinney made it through the song, though the room was filled with tears. Life magazine later described the scene as powerful and almost unbearably emotional.
1. Don’t Mess With The Bird
Big Bird, despite being a perpetually six-year-old fluffy yellow bird, holds considerable political power. In 2012, during Mitt Romney’s campaign for the presidency, he found himself at odds with Big Bird.
During a debate with Barack Obama, Romney outlined his strategy for cutting government spending, which included slashing funding for PBS, the network that airs Sesame Street.
Romney addressed moderator Jim Lehrer, a PBS employee, saying: “I’m sorry, Jim. I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. [ . . .] I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you, too. But I’m not going to continue spending money on things we have to borrow money from China to pay for.”
While advocating for budget cuts is a solid political strategy, Romney’s mention of Big Bird proved to be a mistake. Those who grew up watching Sesame Street immediately felt a deep sense of hurt. Social media exploded with memes and sharp comments about the coldhearted politician who threatened Big Bird's existence. The focus of the debate shifted from a serious, policy-heavy discussion to a media frenzy, with images of a sad Big Bird holding a “Will Work for Food” sign.
Naturally, comedians and late-night hosts had a field day with the situation, and while Romney tried to stay good-natured about it, the damage had already been done. Ultimately, Romney lost the election to Barack Obama. Was Big Bird to blame? We may never know, but it’s safe to say Romney probably wishes he could turn back time and have a redo.
