Combos

Grounded Hit-Checks

COMBO 1

Standing standing then cancel into:

()
162 damage, 331 stun (194 damage during V-Trigger; 400/480 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

202 damage, 347 stun (requires point-blank opponent and one stock of EX gauge; 242 damage during V-Trigger)

194 damage, 371 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 213 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) (begin charging any non-fierce button) crouching release button
273 damage, 441 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
297 damage, 451 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

Birdie’s best up-close normal is standing , which creates enough advantage on hit to link into standing . While winding up your special move motion, be careful not to link crouching instead of standing , since Birdie’s crouching jab isn’t special-cancelable and your combo will just end.

Avoid canceling into Bull Head unless you’ve confirmed a hit. This may require restricting this combo to situations where you have an extra beat to focus on the scenario just before standing , like while jumping or dashing in, reacting to a walk-up throw, and so on. If you just stop after blocked standing , Birdie is still left at +3, a great situation. If you have very quick reflexes differentiating between hit or block during this short hit-check, you can cancel blocked standing into LK or EX Bull Revenger. Opponents who sit there passively blocking, hoping you’ll do something punishable if they block long enough, will get snagged by this kind of secondary assault.

COMBO 2

Standing crouching then cancel into:

()
189 damage, 376 stun (226 damage during V-Trigger; 427/507 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

229 damage, 392 stun (requires point-blank opponent and one stock of EX gauge; 274 damage during V-Trigger)

218 damage, 416 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 261 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) crouching
301 damage, 488 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
324 damage, 495 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

From point-blank standing , you can link crouching and cancel into specials for more damage than links to standing jab. Crouching isn’t much safer than Bull Head, at -5 blocked. You’ll want to save attempting this for when you’re almost certain that you’ll get the hit, like when whiff-punishing (particularly if the opponent pushes into you with something that leaves them at -4). Or, you can use it after a jump-in, or as an attempt to walk forward and then kick a throw-tech attempt.

Generally, Birdie isn’t the biggest hit-verification character anyway. With so much scary but high-commitment stuff, Birdie is designed around you going with your gut. Hit-checking isn’t a crucial part of his game, but it’s still worth having in your back pocket.

COMBO 3

Standing crouching then cancel into:

267 damage, 418 stun (320 damage durinf V-Trigger)

505 damage, 418 stun (requires full EX gauge; 606 damage during V-Trigger)

299 damage, 434 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 359 damage during V-Trigger)

291 damage, 458 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 348 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) (begin charging any non-fiece button) crouching release button
370 damage, 528 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
394 damage, 538 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

Birdie’s big standing creates enough hitstun for combos even on a normal hit. Standing leaves both combatants in a frame-neutral situation if guarded, so there’s nothing stopping you from sticking it right into a foe’s face up close, likely as they wake up or backflip onto their feet from air recovery.

You can add a little range and leniency leeway by linking into standing instead of crouching . This deals about 27 damage less, but it is easier to combo and safer on block.

Jump-Ins

COMBO 4

Jumping , standing then cancel into:

228 damage, 388 stun (273 damage during V-Trigger)

466 damage, 388 stun (requires full EX gauge; 559 damage during V-trigger)

252 damage, 428 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 301 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) (begin charging any non-fierce button) crouching release button
331 damage, 498 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
355 damage, 508 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

This hit-check features jump-in (frontal or cross-up) linked to standing . Standing is one of Birdie’s best normals, allowing him to poke and whiff-punish with a buffered normal from several steps away. As the second hit of a two-hit jump-in hit-confirm combo, it can cancel into any continuation move you might want (usually Bull Head, but sometimes Bull Horn or EX Bull Head). If guarded, Birdie is left at a tiny disadvantage of -1. Depending on your adversary’s defensive habits, you may get good results from canceling standing into LK Bull Revenger when you realize that your opener is blocked.

COMBO 5

Deep jump-in , standing standing then cancel to:

306 damage, 497 stun

334 damage, 532 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge)

503 damage, 497 stun (requires full EX gauge; 605 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) (begin charging any non-fierce button) crouching release button
394 damage, 582 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
414 damage, 590 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

This is a heavier jump-in option when you have a clean hit from the front. It’s safe to go for a heavy jump-in into standing since standing is neutral blocked. Worst case, it’s a close-range reset situation.

The link from standing to standing is a little awkward, with the button input required a bit later than feels correct because of roundhouse’s heavy recovery. If you have a full EX Gauge and just want simple, verifiable damage, you can easily link Critical Art directly from a standing hit.

Grounded Counter-Hits

COMBO 6

Vs. crouching opponent, counter-hit (second hit only) standing standing then cancel to either:

239 damage, 413 stun (286 damage during V-Trigger)

443 damage, 413 stun (requires full EX gauge; 531 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) (begin charging any non-fierce button) crouching release button
327 damage, 498 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
347 damage, 506 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

This is an overhead combo requiring a counter-hit from the second hit of Bull Drop, Birdie’s unique attack. You can accomplish this by aiming the overhead kick meaty over rising or landing enemies; if they try to poke with reversal timing or use a non-invincible special, they’ll eat the overhead as a counter-hit. If you simply do Bull Drop next to a crouching opponent who reacts too late, this can also counter-hit in close-range neutral guessing games. Note that this is ineffective against Zangief or another Birdie because their huge size makes the first Bull Drop hit engage their crouching guard animation.

COMBO 7

Counter-hit standing , then depending on range:

Up close (or post-dash),
300 damage, 396 stun (361 damage during V-Trigger)

Up close (or post-dash),
318 damage, 423 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 383 damage during V-Trigger)

Max range,
246 damage, 360 stun (274 damage during V-Trigger)

Max range,
518 damage, 360 stun (requires full EX gauge; 600 damage during V-Trigger)

Max range,
264 damage, 405 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 296 damage during V-Trigger)

Max range, (one hit) (begin charging any non-fierce button) crouching release button
362 damage, 495 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

Max range, (one hit) crouching
390 damage, 507 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

Immediately charge two buttons during max range standing , release buttons (EX Bull Horn) , juggle
415 damage, 619 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

Birdie’s Crush Counter-sparking standing leads to lots of combo potential as a counter-hit. This 12-frame startup boot causes enough Crush Counter hitstun to allow you to dash forward immediately and link HP/EX Killing Head, as if the enemy were briefly dizzy.

You’ll score the most counter-hit standing hits when you make good reads with standing against your opponent’s attempted ground dashes. It also makes a great reversal punish counter-hit starter if your adversary whiffs an invincible reversal directly in Birdie’s face. The only worry when using standing roundhouse is that the foe could predictively jump over it, scoring a full combo. But if you’re playing a solid anti-air game with crouching , Bull Drop, and HK Hanging Chain most of the time, your opponent shouldn’t be super inclined to take too many exploratory forward jumps.

COMBO 8

Counter-hit , then juggle with either:

237 damage, 360 stun

273 damage, 378 stun (requires one stock of EX gauge; 328 damage during V-Trigger)

Late juggle with
509 damage, 360 stun (requires full EX gauge; 611 damage during V-Trigger)

Late juggle with ,
572 damage, 544 stun (requires full V-Gauge and full EX gauge; only works on Rashid, Laura, Chun-Li, and Necalli)

Birdie’s Bull Charge shoulder check has long reach and a lengthy armored period that’s tailor-made for knocking aside an incoming fireball and then walloping the thrower. If Bull Charge strikes as a counter-hit, it causes a spinning Crush Counter knockdown, which affords you the chance for a simple juggle follow-up.

Bull Charge is much slower than standing , so it’s not as well-suited for reversal punish counter-hits. However, it can have use in the mid-range footsie game against telegraphed fireballs and pokes.

COMBO 9A

Charge any button then release (Bull Horn) , then juggle either:

281/298 damage, 412/420 stun (requires full V-Gauge, extra hit in corner)

316/333 damage, 448/455 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge, extra hit in corner)

526/543 damage, 413/420 stun (requires full V-Gauge and full EX gauge, extra hit in corner)

COMBO 9B

Charge two buttons then release (EX Bull Horn) , then juggle either:

301 damage, 463 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

336/353 damage, 498/505 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge; more damage and stun in corner)

Corner only,
360 damage, 484 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

Bull Horn and EX Bull Horn can be used as reversals of sorts, and either can be V-Trigger-canceled on contact. Bull Horn lofts the victim up into the path of Birdie’s Enjoy Time flame, allowing for further juggles on their way down.

You won’t have time to verify whether Bull Horn is actually hitting the foe before you burn your V-Gauge on a V-Trigger cancel. Naturally, if the opponent blocks Bull Horn Enjoy Time, they can hit Birdie back immediately if they’re quick. Enjoy Time’s spicy flame has no effect on standing enemies. Still, this is functionality that nearly no one else has anymore in SFV, allowing Birdie to instantly turn good defensive reads into as much as half stamina damage or more.

COMBO 10

Against cornered opponent, combo into standing OR standing/crouching , then cancel to either:

(start charging any button) release button
Damage/stun varies depending on starter (requires full V-Gauge)

,
Damage/stun varies (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

, late
Damage/stun varies (requires full V-Gauge and full EX gauge)

In the corner, where pushback isn’t a factor like it is midscreen, Bull Heads in combos allow for juggles into Enjoy Time’s activation flame spout, and therefore more juggles after that. Depending on how you pushed the enemy into the corner before nailing them with Bull Head, the damage for these sequences can vary significantly.

COMBO 11

Flush against stunned opponent, , (banana hits) standing then cancel into either:

()
268 damage (323 damage during V-Trigger; 472/568 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

289 damage (349 damage during V-Trigger)

(one hit) crouching
342 damage, 488 stun (requires full V-Gauge and one stock of EX gauge)

(one hit) crouching
369 damage (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX gauge)

It’s possible to use Banana Time up close to drive link combos, given good execution and positioning. From flush distance, set the banana up (Birdie just barely throws it through the foe to their other side), and then immediately nail the enemy with Bull Drop. If you time it correctly, the adversary will be forced backward into the peel and then trip up, giving you plenty of time to link standing . This combo requires point-blank distance on the Banana Time peel throw and reversal timing on the link to Bull Drop.