What is bird?
bird runs iCloud Drive (including Desktop & Documents if you sync them). It notices when files change, uploads them, downloads changes from your other devices, and removes local copies when Optimize Mac Storage needs space.
It's lightweight with a few changes. Thousands of files, or files that change every few seconds, keep it working.
Why is bird using so much CPU?
- Lots of files to sync, such as turning on Desktop & Documents syncing or moving a big folder into iCloud Drive.
- Files that change constantly, like a code project, a database or app caches stored in iCloud Drive.
- Optimize Mac Storage downloading and evicting files as space runs low.
- Full iCloud storage, which leaves uploads retrying.
How to fix high bird CPU usage
- Confirm it in Activity Monitor. Press ⌘ Space, type Activity Monitor, open the CPU tab and sort by % CPU. Watch
birdfor a minute: short spikes are normal, only steady high usage needs fixing. - Check progress in Finder: iCloud Drive in the sidebar shows a progress circle while it syncs.
- Keep constantly changing folders out of iCloud Drive, especially code projects with build folders.
- Free up iCloud storage in System Settings › your name › iCloud if it's full.
- Restart if the sync seems stuck.
More help: How to check CPU usage on a Mac