The LEGO Series 28 minifigure you should be in a flap about

Of the 12 minifigures in LEGO 71051 Series 28 Animals, there's one costume you ought to be in a flap about for some important innovations.

12 new LEGO minifigures are right around the corner as part of 71051 Series 28 Animals, launching on January 1, 2026, with a costume party theme. While not all enthusiasts are ecstatic about this series because of that concept, there's one minifigure in the next series that should catch your eye for some important minifigure innovations.

The parrot costume in 71051 Series 28 Animals might seem familiar, but there's much to this minifigure that is new to the LEGO portfolio. We had the chance to discuss these innovations with the designers behind this series at LEGO Fan Media Days 2025.

"There were some cool things with the parrot, " said designer Esa Petteri Nousiainen. "This is the first time we have decorated this wing element. We really wanted to have that, and it's the standard chicken wing that we've used many times before. That was really cool to get here."

The wings may not be new, but the head in the parrot costume is one of many fresh elements made for 71051 Series 28 Animals. Printing on this wing piece isn't the only new innovation here, either.

"Also, we have the tail with two different textiles to get a little bit of perceived thickness to it," continued Esa.

This is, to our knowledge, the first time that two textile elements have been attached to a minifigure's waist. While we've seen multiple textile elements around the neck and textiles paired with plastic around the body, two textile pieces being used to capture the colourful tail feathers is an interesting new development in the world of LEGO minifigures.

Whether this will lead to colourful skirts and other textile-based minifigure fashion around the waist in 2026 and beyond has yet to be seen, but the doors are now open to such ideas.

Another aspect of the parrot minifigure that will likely appeal to fans next month is the sense of nostalgia the costume provides compared to the original LEGO parrot, but there's a big difference between the two (beyond one being a bird and the other being a minifigure).

"Some might note that the original parrot for Pirates had a green tip, but we saw our set as the one with the blue, and it also just looked better visually," added LEGO Minifigures Graphic Design Lead Tore Magelund Harmark-Alexandersen. "We always try and pay homage to the past, but not at the expense of the current design."

Despite the differences in their colour schemes, there's a clear comparison to be made between the two LEGO parrots, and it should be the perfect excuse to add the costume to your Pirates display early next month.

71051 Series 28 Animals will be released on January 1, 2026, with each of the blind boxes retailing for £3.49 / $4.99 / €3.99. Stay tuned for more coverage from our interview with the designers behind 71051 Series 28 Animals.

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