Birdo (species)

The Birdo species is a race of brightly-colored, large-snouted beings that closely resemble Yoshies. Birdos are a notably effeminate species. It is in style for both females and males to wear bows and eye makeup. While they keep themselves out of the public eye on most occasions, they mingle willingly at sporting events, such as strikers.

Every Birdo has the ability to shoot an egg, fireball, or both out of his or her snout. This ability has inspired a variety of villains, including Bowser, to hire them for their offensive abilities.

Involvement with the Koopa Troop
Bowser first took attention to Birdos shortly after Mario and Luigi saved Princess Peach in Super Mario Bros. In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, he hired several, including the Thunder Birdo, to be members of the Koopa Pack because of their ability to fire eggs as weapons. "The Adventures of Dirk Drain-Head" implied that Bowser kept his Birdos in cages. Bowser mentioned that he lined the Birdo's cages with Baroness Blue Blood comic book pages.

Assault on the Rebel Fort
Bowser first deployed Birdos in "Toad Warriors." In order to make money, Bowser stole the vast majority of Car Land's spaghetti sauce supply, planning to sell it back at a very inflated price.

King Koopa assigned three Birdos to act as the guns of a State Troopa car by firing eggs at the Rebel Fort while perched atop it. After the Mario Bros. arrived, Bowser decided to use the Thunder Birdo to attack the fort. Thunder Birdo was driven in on another vehicle, controlled by Mouser, where it proceeded to attack the fort with a gigantic, explosive egg. Afterwards, Bowser used normal Birdo fire until a rebel force, which included Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad, left the fort using a tanker full of spaghetti sauce as bait. During the chase that ensued, the three Birdos were defeated by Luigi's Bob-ombs after attacking Mario and Toadstool. After the two regained control, they saw the approaching Thunder Birdo. Peach climbed on top of the tanker armed with a bag of Bob-ombs. When Mouser approached, the princess hurled the bag into the snout of the Birdo. Thunder Birdo swallowed the Bob-ombs, and their explosion defeated her.

Bowser's Personal Guards
Regardless of the defeat, Bowser continued to use Birdos in the Koopa Troop. In "Jungle Fever," King Koopa utilized several of them as guards. This proved beneficial to his cause. One Birdo was able to use its egg to bring down an Albatoss carrying Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad. Despite the efforts of the Birdos, however, King Koopa's plan failed.

Fort Hard Knox Robbery
During the events of, "On Her Majesty's Sewer Service," Bowser hired an enormous Birdo with dragon wings. A K was emblazoned on its chest. Koopa, Mouser, Tryclyde, and Koopa Troopa embarked to rob Spy Land's Coin supply from Fort Hard Knox, but were pursued by Mario and Luigi in the Spymobile. King Koopa, after several failed attempts to destroy the vehicle, called for the Birdo to lift the Spymobile from the road. The Birdo deposited the brothers in King Koopa's lair.

Use in the Jury
In "Escape from Koopatraz", Bowser included one in the jury for the trial of Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad. The Birdo deliberated the decision with the three other members of the jury, until King Koopa threatened them with a Piranha Plant. They quickly condemned Princess Toadstool and her friends as guilty.

Bowser's Castle Guard
"Bedtime for Drain-Head" revealed that at least one Birdo remained in the ranks of the Koopa Troop as a guard despite the Birdos' defeats throughout The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. Mario, under the delusion that he was Dirk Drain-Head, entered Bowser's Castle to save Toad. After laying waste to a large number of enemies outside of the castle, this Birdo blocked Mario's path as he tried to enter the castle, shooting eggs at him. However, Mario quickly picked them up and threw them back, defeating this Birdo as he had defeated the Birdo in Super Mario Bros. 2.

Tennis
The first professional sport Birdos were involved in was tennis. During the tournaments and events described in Mario Tennis, Birdo proved herself an equal to the likes of the famous tennis player, Mario. Since these competitions, Birdo athletes have dropped from the world of tennis completely. Yet, in the Mario Power Tennis competitions, there was a large turnout of Birdos at the Peach Dome.

Golf
In the golf world, Birdo again represents her species. In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, she once again competed against powerful figures in the sport and held her own. Her future plans for the sport are unknown, but no other Birdo has given indication of entering it.

Mario Kart
The Mario Kart races were another sporting event that Birdos had not taken part in until Birdo joined the sport. She entered the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! events as a partner to her good friend Yoshi. Birdo declined to enter the Mario Kart DS races and her future plans are unknown.

Baseball
Once more in baseball, Birdo was the only representative of her species present in Mario Superstar Baseball. Other Birdos took interest in the event, filling Mario Stadium along with members of other species. The role of Birdos in the upcoming tournament, Super Mario Stadium Baseball, is unknown, although they have once again filled Mario Stadium.

Strikers
Strikers is the one sport that a substantial number of Birdos have joined. In the original Super Mario Strikers tournaments, teams of Birdos allied themselves with certain high-profile captains and helped them achieve victory. When compared to the other species involved, members of the Birdo species were the most aggressive, scoring the hard hits against opponents necessary in the sport. The events were also a huge draw for Birdo spectators.

The next iteration of the sport, Mario Strikers Charged, also drew much attention from the Birdo species as a whole. Once again, multiple Birdos competed as sidekick players, this time breaking away from all Birdo teams and playing alongside other species. Once more, the stadiums were filled by other Birdos.

Hoops
The newest sport that Birdos have become involved with is hoops. In Mario Hoops 3 on 3, Birdo once again represented her species, holding her own on the courts against a variety of other species. The sport did not enjoy the Birdo turnout of other games.