David Attenbird

PERFORMER	Jerry Nelson
DEBUT	1987

David Attenbird is a bird documentarian who appeared on Sesame Street in Episode 2329.

In his hosting duties for "The Wildlife of Sesame Street," he interviews Telly Monster in search of some of the famous Sesame Street monsters. As he describes Cookie Monster, the Two-Headed Monster, and Grover, Telly imagines various sketches that each of the characters has appeared in. Finally, Attenbird describes Telly, who asks the bird if he expects him to be scary. Attenbird reveals he's not scared of Telly at all, and Telly thanks him for not asking him to be scary.

Later, Attenbird observes Mr. Snuffleupagus, the resident snuffleupagus of Sesame Street. Attenbird figures that a snuffleupagus saying a few words to close out the episode would be fitting, so Snuffy announces the sponsors.

The character, who parodies British naturalist David Attenborough, is not named on screen, but Mark Saltzman's script describes him as follows:

“David Attenbird is a famed feathered naturalist who speaks with a British accent. He is an English bird Muppet, although instead of the overcoat and derby, David Attenbird wears a pith helmet and safari shirt.”

The puppet would later be recycled as Leonard Birdseed.