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I had an aunt who was "Alberta" on her birth certificate but almost always called Birdie.

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I think Birdie is a natural shift from "Bertie" for most English speakers, both because some would find it easier to pronounce but also because the word "birdie" will seem to make a cute feminine name to a many people.

Birdie is a diminutive Bertha. for It depends on the region I’m sure, but Bertha is also commonly used in Italy and Spanish speaking countries, as well as Portuguese-speaking countries. Each of these languages pronounces the “T” letter differently than we do in English, more like a hard “D.” So, instead of “Bertie” being a nickname for Bertha, it would sound more like “Berdi” or “Birdie” to the casual observer.