Latest Update: Added a photo of it next to a couple of other pens for size comparison.
Since I was so impressed with the pencil version of the Birdie, Simon at Cult Pens sent us the fountain pen version to review - in both medium and fine points. The pencil version is made useful by its small size, but made likeable by the solidity and simplicity. Would the same appeal still work in a fountain pen?
What Is It?
A very small fountain pen. The Birdie fountain pen is thicker than the pencil and ballpoint versions - 8mm diameter instead of 5mm - but is still very small for a fountain pen. The size is just about right for fitting in the pen loop in a Filofax, but probably not the very tiny ones some notebooks come with.
- Stainless Steel Casing.
- Simple, effective pocket clip.
- Fine or Medium nibs available. In the UK, the fine nib isn’t normally available, but Cult Pens have some.
- Steel Nib.
- Supplied with Converter to use bottled ink.
- RRP £9.95, £7.95 at Cult Pens.
Looks
Like the pencil, the looks are probably best described as ’simple’. It’s just a brushed steel tube. The fountain pen version narrows in a step towards the top of the barrel, and there’s a black plastic ring where the cap pushes on. The stepped-down narrowing of the barrel makes it look a little like a Parker 25 in miniature.
The clip is just a shaped piece of steel, with a cut out section.
Removing the cap shows the grip section, in black plastic, with vertical grooves, and the plain steel nib. The nib is in the ‘folded’ style that Lamy are known best for, though I believe it was originally a MontBlanc style. There is no plating or patterning to the nib, just “PILOT” and a letter for the nib width - M or F - unless that’s how you tell what sex your Birdie is.
Feel
Like the pencil, the feel is very solid. The brushed steel is nice and ‘grippy’, and everything about the Birdie feels well put together. Whilst the cap doesn’t actually click into place, it feels nice and definite, and the clip feels good and tough.
In Use
There is good news and bad news here. It’s mostly good, but a few compromises have to be accepted in a pen this small - and there are a couple of things that could have been done better.
Filling the Birdie is easy. It can take Pilot cartridges, if you prefer the easy option, or if you prefer the fun of bottled ink, it is supplied with a squeezable sac converter - similar to an old Parker Aerometric filler. Unfortunately, this is the first thing that could have been better - the sac is black, so you can’t tell how much ink is in there. This is perfectly common, but always seems a shame to me. Fifty years ago, Parker managed to make fillers with clear sacs, and made them so well that many are still around, still working, and still clear. You have to open the barrel to check the ink level in these, but at least you can. With a black sac, you’re left to guess.
As I said, this is a problem in plenty of other pens, and it just means you either take the risk of running out of ink, carry a cartridge just in case, or refill more often to make sure you don’t run out. It’s also a problem with the converter, really, not the pen itself, and not all manufacturers include a converter at all with their cheaper models - Pilot certainly deserve credit for including one with a pen costing less than £10.
Once filled, both pens wrote well, immediately. The fine nib, oddly, wrote a much darker, and not much thinner line than the medium. This probably won’t be the case with all of these pens, but does suggest that the nibs will vary somewhat. Having discussed this with Simon, we think the writing of the medium nib is probably more average - smooth and reliable, and fairly dry. A relatively dry line means less chance of smearing ink, because the line will dry quicker, but less saturated colour (or less solid black).
Personally, I like a fairly wet line, because I like my Noodler’s ink laid down nice and black, so I’m glad the fine is a bit unusually wet, but if you have similar tastes, you may find the Birdie a bit too dry for you.
I use all other fountain pens unposted - I hold the cap in my hand, or put it down somewhere, rather than putting it on the other end of the pen. Even my preference for short pens wasn’t enough for the Birdie unposted, though. The cap fits neatly over the narrowed section, and leaves the posted pen feeling like a single tube again.
With the cap posted on the barrel like this, the balance is good, and the pen is long enough to be comfortable in use.
The black plastic grip is the other thing that I think Pilot could have done better with. I think the vertical-only grooves are there to help the cap slide on and off, but they don’t do much to help you hold the pen. I haven’t found slipping to be much of a problem with it yet, but if you sometimes do have trouble with slippery pens, the Birdie may not be ideal.
Despite these little niggles, all things considered, this is a very good little pen. Bearing in mind how small it is, and the price, I’m very impressed that Pilot have managed to put together a fountain pen that isn’t just good for its size - it’s just good. It’s not the pen I’d reach for if I had a lot of writing to do, but it’s more than good enough for a carry-everywhere pen.
Here’s the Birdie sitting on top of my Filofax - that’s a Pocket Filofax, not the standard size.
It fits very neatly into the pen loop, which most other pens are far too big for.
I then noticed that I could put the fountain pen in the loop, clip the mechanical pencil Birdie to the outside of the loop, and the Filofax still zipped up neatly. Taking it a step further, I clipped the other fountain pen to the outside of the loop too, and it still zipped up neatly, with two fountain pens and a pencil all fitted to the pen loop.
I’m not sure it that says more about how small Pilot can make these things, or about how much space Filofax waste inside their organisers 
For a bit more comparison, here is the Birdie next to a couple of other pens - the Pelikan Go! and the Sheaffer Saratoga Snorkel.
The Pelikan (top) is a reasonably chunky pen. The Saratoga is probably a fairly average thickness compared to most modern pens, but a little longer than most.
The Birdie is not the best pen you can buy, but it just might be the best you can buy for under £10 - and you won’t have to leave it behind for lack of pocket space.
And if drawing is more your thing than writing, this one gives quite decent line variation (for a modern pen, anyway), and turning the nib upside down gives thinner lines than a 0.25mm Rotring Isograph.
To finish, I tested the old saying, and it turned out not to be true. The Birdie in the hand is not worth two in the bush.
Conclusion
This isn’t the best pen I’ve ever used, but it’s amazingly close, considering the size and price. It compares well with budget models from Parker and Lamy, and if you have reason to want something small, I think it’s a real bargain.
If you don’t actually need something small, there’s less reason to go for the Birdie, but it’s still worth considering - it writes well, seems very solid and reliable, and it’s a bit different too.
Related
- Birdies at Cult Pens: Fountain Pen, Mechanical Pencil and Ballpoint.
- Birdie Mechanical Pencil: Reviewed here at PigPog.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:03
I’ve been using the medium nib Birdie today - it’s fantastic! Thank you Simon.
Sam Randall
Better to be scared to death than bored to death
(Get Well Soon, Hamster!)
October 18th, 2006 at 05:48
I adore my birdie fine point : lightweight, elegant line, responsive. I have a hard time finding pens as I write with a very fine line and even sometimes turn the fine point birdie upside down. Yet the barrel is a tiny bit thin/hard for hours of writing. Anyone know of a similar pen (light above all, and very fine nib) that can hold a candle to the birdie?
October 18th, 2006 at 09:13
Hi Sharon,
Most Japanese fountain pens are much finer than US or European pens, so most Japanese fine points would probably suit you. There’s a bit of a craze with really fine points going on there at the moment, though it’s mainly with rollerballs and gel pens. The Capless (Vanishing Point to Americans) is a good option, but much more expensive. The basic Capless might not be light enough, but the newer ‘Decimo’ is smaller and lighter. Depending on where you are in the world, you may be able to get hold of Sailor pens - another good Japanese make.
November 6th, 2006 at 23:53
I’ve recently bought a birdie medium nib and I have only good things to say about it. It’s just great. I wouldn’t change my birdie for anything. Thanks.
Javier Ludueña
November 7th, 2006 at 06:51
We’ve reviewed the Capless and Capless Decimo now, but I actually don’t think the points are very fine - the medium nibs we have are quite normal mediums. Not sure if they’ve changed them recently, or maybe started making thicker nib units for the international market, but I wouldn’t describe them as being on the fine side.
November 28th, 2006 at 08:09
I bought one couple of days ago from Cult Pens (and I was curious to see what others thought of it so via Google I ended up here). I have to say its a little gem. The only drawback being it does have to be re-capped when not using it for more than a couple of minutes as it does tend to dry out easily.
I have just got back into fountain pens after losing a beloved Sheaffer Imperial over 20 years ago. That had a beautifully smooth fine point which the Birdy is good approximation to. I also like the straight barrel style, my second favourite being the Rotring Esprit (non collapsable version). The Pilot Execu-gel with G2 refills is great too btw. My #1 favourite? A vintage Sheaffer Imperial, bought unused from ebay, to replace the one I lost. Its a slightly different (older) nib design from the one I lost but just as good. I also have a gold nib Lamy Studio (actually a pressie for my wife, but she hardly uses it) which is very heavy and well engineered, but its line is quite broad and just feels a little less comfortable to write quickly with than these other 3. I would like to try the Lamy Safari, but it seems hard to find in fine point in the UK.
On the strength of this Birdy, I think I must put the Pilot Capless on my Christmas list.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:14
I should point out that I only just read about the fact that Michael and Sam will be working for Cult Pens come December and that I have no connection with them or Cult Pens whatsoever. Just an amused reader of their blog/reviews and a satisfied customer of Cult Pens
November 28th, 2006 at 13:06
Hi Gary,
Glad you like the Birdie - they are good pens. I’ve not had any problem with them drying out when left uncapped for a few minutes, but mine was an unusually wet writer, I think. It probably depends on the ink you’re using too. I filled mine up with Noodlers straight away, and I’ve not even tried the Pilot ink yet.
The Capless is excellent - quite different in feel to the Birdie. The nib is a bit flexible (perhaps ’springy’ is a better word), where the Birdie is very firm. The UK supplied Capless pens are western nib widths, too, so the Medium Capless is a real medium, where the Birdie is on the fine side. The Capless does have a bit of a habit of drying out, but ‘capping’ it is quicker and easier.
November 29th, 2006 at 09:32
Ah - the ink thing. As I’ve come to realise, the next thing closest to the pen geek’s heart is the ink
I’m just using Quink, and now I look closely, the line the Birdie makes is very dry and grey looking. I’ve seen alot about Noodlers, including stuff about how it seems to be ‘wetter’ (and is prone to smearing - takes longer to dry on some paper). I suppose I’ll have to give it a go.
November 30th, 2006 at 05:14
Hey, what do you think the heard is pumping? Blood?
Noodler’s is good stuff, but they do vary. Worth checking if anyone on FPN has reviewed the colour you’re thinking about. It is relatively slow drying (slower than Quink). Smearing shouldn’t be a problem on most papers, but it works by reacting with the cellulose in the paper, so it doesn’t work well on paper that doesn’t have any cellulose, and shiny paper doesn’t usually work. For any ordinary paper, it works well, though, and the black is very resistant to feathering and bleeding through the paper. I’m using Walnut now - it’s not an Eternal ink, but it’s based on the Eternal Black, so if it gets wet, the colour washes out of it, and leaves the permanant black behind.
December 8th, 2006 at 07:12
A friend sent me a birdie, and I love it. I have small hands so it fits me very well, even with writing for long periods. Thanks for the link to Cult Pens, I definitely want another birdie.
December 8th, 2006 at 08:44
Does anyone know where can I find this in Canada or US?
December 12th, 2006 at 22:12
Birdies are not available in the US. In Canada, Laywines (www.laywines.com) carries them. I have used the Birdie fountain pens for years and love them; when I need new ones (I have dropped a few on their points) Laywines kindly ships them to me. I just wish the Birdie ballpoint and pencil were the same size as the fountain pen — I find them too thin.
February 1st, 2007 at 15:35
My Birdie arrived this morning and already it’s love. Thank you for the heads-up.
July 22nd, 2007 at 08:00
Birdie was one of the first better pens I used as a kid (gifted to me by my grand-uncle in 1985). I have used it a lot and the pen still looks and performs as good as new. The converter still works fine and has a blue tinted pli-glass like sac where you can see the ink level if held up to light.
Hari, Mumbai, INDIA
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:23
Hi Hari,
Shame they replaced the clear sac with a plain rubber one, really. I do like to be able to see how much ink I have left in a pen. The Birdie is still a great little pen, though.
February 23rd, 2008 at 20:37
where can i find a birdie in North Carolina, USA I want to give it away as a gift to my grandpa………its one thing he has asked me
February 24th, 2008 at 06:22
I’m afraid you probably can’t - they’ve never been a US product, and they’re never likely to be - Pilot have discontinued the fountain pens now.
You can order them from us at Cult Pens for delivery to the US, but the delivery charge does add quite a bit to the cost if that’s all you’re ordering. We still have quite a few of the Medium nibbed Birdies in stock.
May 18th, 2008 at 05:01
Try: http://www.isellpens.com/pilot.html
June 16th, 2008 at 11:14
Your site is awesome! I went to Cult Pens and bought the Birdie Fountain Pen. My first fountain pen was actually a Birdie with blue highlights instead of black and a clear, blue bladder. I love that pen! It was a gift from my Dad when I started secondary school. Rather than risk anything to the original pen, I bought one from Cult Pens, looking forward to the converter rather than trying to guess at the ink levels through the black bladder. However, mine didn’t come with a converter. Frmo the looks of it, everything is “welded” into place and I’m not even sure it takes a converter. Heck, the pen didn’t even come in any box. It was dropped into a plain, bubble wrap envelope with no markings or documentation whatsoever. Did anyone’s Birdie Fountain Pen come without a converter?
June 16th, 2008 at 15:16
The bladder is part of the converter. If there’s a bladder, you have a converter. The converter has a black bladder that you can’t see the ink though. A converter lets you use bottled ink rather than cartridges.
Birdies don’t come from Pilot with any documentation or a box - just a pen. The converter is not welded in place, it just pulls out.