Bird

Bird is a catch-all creature type for animals characterized by having feathers, hollow bones, and wings. They are usually capable of flight.

General
Birds in the Magic universe can be of tremendous size and quite intelligent, while some are even anthropomorphic. Natural birds are usually blue or white balanced creatures with flying. Many of them, being blue, have deck searching/drawing abilities. An exception is Birds of Paradise which is a Green, 0/1 with a mana acceleration-related ability.

The first creatures to bear the type Bird were Roc Hatchling and Circling Vultures in Weatherlight. Roc of Kher Ridges from Alpha, Osai Vultures and Mesa Falcon from Legends were later issued errata to become birds as well. The type Bird was eventually solidified in the Grand Creature Type Update.

Aven
Aven are sentient, anthropomorphic bird folk found on several planes.

Alara
The royal family of Valeron on Alaran Bant consists of falcon-like aven.

Kathari
The Kathari are a race of scavenging vulture-people native to Grixis. They are in constant competition with the native necromancers for corpses, who sometimes let them act because they think they cleanse bad luck from the dead. Their religion, called Skive, states that only those dead whose skeleton has been completely cleansed from flesh have a chance to enter the afterlife. As such, the Kathari treat their scavenging lifestyle as a holy calling.

Amonkhet
Amonkhet's Aven come in two varieties: ibis-like and falcon-like. Unlike most Aven which are in fact birds, these Aven have human bodies, with only avian heads and wings. They live among the population of Naktamun and prepare for the trials of the five gods like every other race. These Aven delight in flying above their foes, using their superior mobility to confound and outpace their opponents.

Arcavios
On Arcavios the owl-like Aven are known as Owlin. They are associated with all colleges of Strixhaven.

Dominaria
On Dominaria, Aven used to be most prevalent on the continent of Otaria. Lately, many have migrated to Benalia.

Otarian eagle-like aven
According to Otarian myths, the aven were created when eagles begged the Ancestor to make them human, with the Ancestor granting half the wish. On the other hand, some believe that the aven were refugees from another plane who settled on Dominaria, while others claim that they evolved naturally from birds such as the Suntail Hawk.

Otarian Aven resemble humanoid eagles, and are tall and strong, possessing arms, legs, and powerful wings capable of flight. Most aven live along Otaria's northern coasts around Balshan Bay as fishers, but many are also found inland on the Daru Plains and other Order-controlled regions. They are militant creatures who make up a significant portion of the Order's members. Many aven are accomplished warriors, wizards, or both. Around the time of the Time Spiral crisis, the aven were reduced to squatters in the continent's ruins.

Several of the surviving Aven relocated from Otaria to Benalia, where many adopted the Serran faith.

Otarian owl-like aven
Although most Otarian aven resemble eagles, some are owl-like in appearance. "Owl aven" seem less militant than eagle aven, specializing as wizards. Some owl aven also inhabited the planes of Dominaria, Ravnica and the Shard of Alara known as Bant.

Mutant Aven
As the Mirari's magic washed across Otaria, altering its inhabitants, many aven became taller and more muscular, with long, razor-like talons jutting from their wings. The most advanced of these mutants lost their arms, regressing into huge sentient raptors. On the other hand, mutant owl aven, known as crookclaws, also grew larger and sprouted talons from their wings, but retained independent use of their arms. The crookclaws' magical abilities were also enhanced by the Mirari's emanations. Crookclaws appear to have bred true after the Mirari crisis ended and survived at least until the time of the rifts. It is unknown if eagle avens survived as well.

Elen
Hulking, wingless, featherless avian humanoids with gray skin, legs of nearly solid bone, and limited intelligence, elen stand nine to ten feet in height. They are slow-moving creatures who serve as enforcers and infantry for the Order in Otaria.

Raypen
Raypen are small, fragile, four-foot-tall bird-people with vestigial wings (whose magical feathers still afford them flight) and thin, withered-looking legs with prehensile feet. They serve as scouts and magical support for the Order in Otaria.

Kylem
Kylem's Aven are peacock-like.

Shandalar
Some owl Aven can be found on Shandalar, acting as the Warden of Evos Isle in service to the sphinxes there.

Tarkir
Unlike the Aven of other planes, the Aven from Tarkir are four-limbed: the clawed, feathered forelimbs are simultaneously wings and arms, much like the forelimbs of primitive birds. They are associated with the Jeskai Way, the Abzan Houses, the Sultai Brood and the Temur Frontier, having thrived after the extinction of the dragons. Abzan Aven resemble vultures and are an elite that serves the clan's Khan, Anafenza, the Temur Aven resemble ravens, and the Jeskai Aven are crane or falcon-like. Abzan Aven serve Khan Anafenza as her personal elite guards and are tasked with watching the Lookout Roost to prevent the Sultai Brood from attacking. Jeskai Aven serve Khan Narset, mostly taking the role of windscouts and becoming emissaries between the Jeskai and other clans; they are capable of seeing the enchantments that line the mountain routes and often live as hermits, flying in intricate patterns around the peaks as a form of meditation. Very little is known about Sultai and Temur Aven, but the former resemble rails and the latter ravens.

In the new timeline, Aven are found among the Ojutai and the Dromoka. Ojutai Aven have an honored place in their society since their wings allow them a better command over the body language of draconic. They are often used as translators by high-ranking dragons and the voice of Ojutai's personal translator carries the weight of the dragonlord himself. Among the Dromoka, Aven are integrated into the "family units" within the clan, living side by side with humans and ainok, calling each other equals and brothers. Additionally, some of the vulture-like Aven have allied themselves with Silumgar.

Aesthir
Aesthir are giant birds that were used by the Kjeldorans of Dominaria's Ice Age as flying mounts for their elite skyknights. Aesthir were highly prized by the Kjeldorans, with mistreatment or disrespect towards them being heavily frowned upon. They gradually became extinct after the Ice Age ended and their natural habitat disappeared. It is said that Oriel Kjeldos was the first to train an Aesthir, and that Márton Stromgald was the first to use them in combat against the goblins.

Cranes
In Theros cranes are white aligned domesticated birds that fly into the battlefield to supply soldiers with weapons. In contrast, in the Plane of Mountains and Seas they are wild, red aligned fire breathing birds, albeit very distinct from the local phoenixes. Both seem to allude to mythology: cranes are depicted as "soldier-like" by Pliny the Elder, while in Chinese mythology the Vermilion Bird is a distinct entity from the Fenghuang (Phoenix).

Falcons
Mesa Falcons are dangerous birds on Ulgrotha that visit the Serra Aviary</c>. Serra's Falconers are able to communicate directly with the birds. Mardu Horde falconers train massive falcons – which apparently are also Rocs – as aerial steeds, often decorating them with their wing-like banners, giving them "a fearsome four-winged appearance".

Owls
Owls are predatory birds with distinctive flattened faces and, in some cases, paired tufts of feathers on their heads that resemble ears. Owls are sometimes kept as pets and familiars by wizards; some owls are also said to house the souls of deceased archamges. On Ravnica, some owls are kept as couriers and fiercely protect the mail they carry. During the War of the Spark, some of these owls joined in the battle against the Dreadhorde.

Strixes are a type of owl-like birds native to the Alaran shard of Esper. Strixes are aggressive predators. They were kept as pets by Esper's scullers, which used them to hunt down unpaying clients. During the Conflux, strixes found Grixis to be lacking in viable pray and instead migrated to Bant.

Parea
The Parea are large, flightless, carnivorous birds living in the east of Jamuraa. They were mostly wiped out in the civilized areas of the continent but remained a danger in the wastes where they would hunt in packs and prey on travelers. During the Keldon invasion of Jamuraa they were often found following the Keldon war barges looking for carrion and were therefore used to execute worthless prisoners, cowards, and traitors. The Darba</c> are enormous relatives of the parea that would attack even well-armed Keldon encampments in search of food. They can grow upwards of twenty-five feet and are capable of picking up oxen in their beaks.

Percher
Perchers look nothing like normal birds, but more like flying squid. They were used by the Phyrexians and Rathi to relay messages across long distances, due to their parrot-like ability to memorize and repeat short phrases. New Phyrexia makes use of new types of bird. Most of them are White (Tine Shrike</c>, Shriek Raptor</c>).

Phoenix
Phoenixes are half-animal/half-elemental avians. They are capable of turning their body into fire and flame, and literally rising from their ashes, resurrecting themselves. They are seen on Dominaria in various fire-aligned regions (Shiv, Bogardan), Ravnica, Jund, and used to exist even on Rath. Some phoenixes are called firebirds.

Primoc
Primocs are hybrids between birds and monkey-like beasts which were created by the Riptide Project. They have a natural inclination to serve wizards as familiars.

Ravens
The Order of Midnight</c> on Eldraine fly upon giant ravens.

Ravens are also a manifestation of the mysterious Raven Man.

Roc
Rocs are humongous birds seen on Rabiah, Terisiare, Jamuraa, Ravnica and Tarkir. On Ravnica, the Boros use them as flying mounts for the Boros Legion.

Rukh
Rukhs, also called "stonefeathers", are similar to phoenixes, except their base element is stone, not fire. They look like great vulture-like birds with leathery, dragon-like wings. They are native to Rabiah.

Vultures
Vultures are a type of bird with dark feathers, long necks and featherless heads. They feed on carrion and, unlike other birds, are chiefly aligned with Black mana.

Creature types changed into Bird
Creature types changed into Bird include:
 * Aesthir (Wild Aesthir</c>)
 * Albatross (Giant Albatross</c>)
 * Chicken / Rooster (Zodiac Rooster</c>)
 * Egg (Rukh Egg</c>) (later reversed)
 * Erne (Silver Erne</c>)
 * Falcon (Windreaper Falcon</c>)
 * Mana-Bird (Birds of Paradise</c>)
 * Pigeon (Carrier Pigeons</c>)
 * Roc (Crimson Roc</c>)
 * Vulture (Osai Vultures</c>)
 * Whippoorwill (Whippoorwill</c>)

Other bird species included in the Bird type
Some examples of other bird species included in the Bird type:
 * <c>Baleful Strix</c>
 * <c>Cloudchaser Kestrel</c>
 * <c>Coveted Peacock</c>
 * <c>Esper Cormorants</c>
 * <c>Hunting Moa</c>
 * <c>Hydromorph Gull</c>
 * <c>Kingfisher</c>
 * <c>Mercurial Kite</c>
 * <c>Messenger Jays</c>
 * <c>Mist Raven</c>
 * <c>Moon Heron</c>
 * <c>Rainbow Crow</c>
 * <c>River Hoopoe</c>
 * <c>Sawtooth Loon</c>
 * <c>Screeching Buzzard</c>
 * <c>Skyshroud Condor</c>
 * <c>Stormwatch Eagle</c>
 * <c>Supply-Line Cranes</c>
 * <c>Thieving Magpie</c>
 * <c>Welkin Hawk</c>

Alara

 * Derevi

Amonkhet

 * <c>Kykar, Wind's Fury</c>

Arcavios

 * Breena
 * Imbraham
 * Mavinda
 * Shaile

Dominaria

 * Aven
 * Commander Eesha
 * Major Teroh
 * Lieutenant Kirtar
 * Kangee
 * <c>Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle</c>, an theologian and missionary, who worships Serra in her form of The Ancestor.


 * Bird
 * Meep

Ikoria

 * Akim
 * <c>Shabraz, the Skyshark</c>
 * Yorion

Kaldheim

 * Hakka
 * Vega

Tarkir

 * Ishai

Unknown

 * Esior

Other

 * Duck
 * <c>Syr Cadian, Knight Owl</c>

Tokens

 * Silver-bordered

Lords

 * <c>Aven Brigadier</c> (also Soldiers)
 * <c>Kangee, Aerie Keeper</c> - first Lord to grant something based on the number of counters (feather) on it
 * <c>Soraya the Falconer</c> - first Lord to grant banding. Originally was a Falcon Lord but became a Bird Lord after the grand creature type update.

Trivia

 * <c>Azorius Keyrune</c> is a manstone that can become a 2/2 white and blue Bird artifact creature with flying.
 * Bird Maidens are an all-female tribe of winged humans.
 * <c>Glint Hawk Idol</c> can become a 2/2 Bird artifact creature with flying.
 * Scale Birds are a technique used by artists to make a central figure look bigger.
 * An Aven planeswalker was seen during the War of the Spark.
 * <c>Animal Sanctuary</c> is a land that can put +1/+1 counters on birds.