Why IS Big Bird so big?

He doesn't fit anywhere, besides in his super-huge nest.  How did he build that thing?  There's very few trees on the Street, and he also doesn't fly.

Big Bird has the mind of a child, but the body of an 8-foot-tall humanoid vaguely resembling a bird.  He also does not have a name.  Not a proper one, at least.  He just gets called what he is, kind of like Cookie Monster, whereas puppets like Oscar and Grover get NAME-type names.  Kermit is an animal too, but he gets to be "Kermit THE Frog."  What's the difference?  The human characters should have quibbled over what to name Big Bird, like happened with Barkley/Woof Woof.

"Name him BIRDEY!"

"NO!  Name him Walkie the Bird."

At least part of the time, Big Bird must have been like "The dog gets TWO names and I don't even get ONE?  Maybe I'll go talk to Oscar, he's always naming people."


Big Bird was friends with people and puppets of all sizes, but his BEST friend was Mr. Snuffleupagus, who was also enormously huge.  Not only did Mr. Snuffleupagus get to have a NAME, but also the distinction of being called "Mr."  So evidently he is a fellow of some dignified importance, although doesn't he still live with his mommy?  At any rate, the original versions of both of them were fairly nightmarish.

Big Bird has a nice home for himself but doesn't seem to need too many furnishings.  Just his nest and a bunch of cool-looking barrels.  Does he play with them?  Throw them around like animals in the zoo?  Probably not.  Big Bird never gets violent.  and good thing!  Imagine if Oscar picked on him one too many times.  Big Bird could probably really ring his neck, if he could catch him.  Oscar was quick about ducking down into his can, and no way was Big Bird following him.  Again, he'd never fit.

Click to view... cheap.