Peisetaerus
Peisetaerus is the protagonist of the play. He and Euelpides are traveling away from Athens in order to seek a new place to live, to get away from the politics and laws of the Athenians. He is partially transformed into a bird after instructing the bird on how to become the new gods that man will worship. He negotiates to gain Zeus' scepter and to marry Zeus' princess in order that the gods won't starve from the new bird city taking all of the sacrifices from man before they reach the heavens.
Euelpides
Euelpides is a middle-aged man traveling with Peisetaerus in order to leave Athens and find a new home. He is transformed into a bird and becomes part of the plot to take the power from the Olympus gods and give it to the birds to be worshiped as the new gods.
Chorus-Leader
The Chorus-Leader speaks as the leader of the birds. He firsts wants to attack Peisetaerus and Euelpides, but after hearing Peisetaerus' plan for the birds to become the new gods he swiftly assembles all of the birds to build the city which disrupts the gods receiving sacrifices and causes Zeus to concede his scepter and princess.
Tereus
Tereus was formally a man of the world. He was transformed into a bird, the Hoopoe. Tereus helps Peisetaerus and Euelpides to meet the birds and eventually turns the two men into birds.
Prometheus
Prometheus is the god who comes to Peisetaerus and gives him the necessary knowledge of how to negotiate with the gods, which becomes the exact leverage Peisetaerus needs in order that the birds become the new gods of man.
