EDH Optimizer
Birds Commander decks
Birds is a kindred archetype: the deck is built around one creature type and the cards that pay you for having many of them. It is mostly played in Azorius and white. Its most characteristic cards are Murmuration, Cartographer's Hawk, Emeria Angel: not the most-played cards in the format, but the ones that appear in these decks far above what is normal for the same colors.
Cards that define the archetype
Ranked by how much MORE they are played inside the archetype than in the rest of Commander. Generic staples (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet…) fall out for exactly that reason: they are played everywhere equally.
| Card | Commanders | Avg. inclusion | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murmuration | 7 | 59% | +41 pts |
| Cartographer's Hawk | 7 | 49% | +41 pts |
| Emeria Angel | 7 | 46% | +40 pts |
| Empyrean Eagle | 7 | 70% | +39 pts |
| Migratory Route | 6 | 46% | +35 pts |
| Soulcatchers' Aerie | 6 | 67% | +35 pts |
| Steel-Plume Marshal | 6 | 50% | +35 pts |
| Jackdaw Savior | 6 | 48% | +34 pts |
| Watcher of the Spheres | 6 | 65% | +34 pts |
| Winged Words | 6 | 49% | +34 pts |
| Warden of Evos Isle | 6 | 70% | +34 pts |
| Kastral, the Windcrested | 5 | 57% | +29 pts |
| Dazzling Denial | 5 | 49% | +29 pts |
| Favorable Winds | 5 | 60% | +28 pts |
| Jubilant Skybonder | 5 | 55% | +28 pts |
| Sephara, Sky's Blade | 5 | 52% | +28 pts |
| Aven Mindcensor | 5 | 45% | +27 pts |
| Bident of Thassa | 5 | 44% | +24 pts |
| Birds of Paradise | 6 | 66% | +24 pts |
| Wingmate Roc | 4 | 47% | +24 pts |
| Airborne Aid | 4 | 59% | +23 pts |
| Esior, Wardwing Familiar | 4 | 44% | +23 pts |
| Kangee's Lieutenant | 4 | 50% | +23 pts |
| Healer's Hawk | 4 | 51% | +23 pts |
| Rally of Wings | 4 | 47% | +23 pts |
| Kangee, Sky Warden | 4 | 58% | +23 pts |
| Judge's Familiar | 4 | 50% | +23 pts |
| Patchwork Banner | 4 | 50% | +22 pts |
| Herald's Horn | 4 | 47% | +21 pts |
| Path of Ancestry | 5 | 51% | +19 pts |
Commanders for Birds
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is, according to EDHREC data.
By color identity
White · Blue
White
Blue
Green
White · Blue · Green
Black
Paste your list and we tell you whether the deck actually does what it wants to do: curve, ramp, interaction and a 10,000-game simulation.
🛠️ Build a deck like this 📥 Analyze my deckFrequently asked questions
What is the best commander for a Birds deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Kastral, the Windcrested, Soraya the Falconer, Gwaihir the Windlord. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 33 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Birds is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Birds deck?
The three most characteristic are Murmuration, Cartographer's Hawk, Emeria Angel. They are not the most-played cards in the format, but the ones that appear far more inside this archetype than in the rest of Commander — which is what actually makes them essential here.
What colors is Birds played in?
The most common color identities are White · Blue, White, Blue. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Birds deck cost?
It depends on the price cap PER CARD you set. Each commander page lists the best cards in three tiers (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.