Birds of Paradise (Repaint)

Birds of Paradise is a one-mana green 0/1 flying creature, originally printed in Alpha (1993), that can tap for one mana of any color. Birds of Paradise (“BoP”) is one of Magic’s most beloved and enduring cards, a symbol of green’s connection to mana and nature. BoP is the perfect turn-one ramp spell in most green decks that play it. It lets you accelerate your game plan, by casting 3-drops on turn two. Unlike Llanowar Elves, it taps for any color, which is critical for multicolor decks. Birds of Paradise has been around since Alpha and has frequently been seen in Extended and Standard World Championships decks (1997-2005) e.g. in decks like Fires of Yavimaya, The Rock, and Domain Zoo. Birds of Paradise is the ultimate “mana dork”; it fits into any green deck that wants to accelerate into big threats or fix its colors early on in the game. In Modern, it’s mostly played in many different creature-based midrange/value decks (e.g. Bant Nadu, BG Yawgmoth). In cEDH/Commander decks, BoP is a staple in nearly every green deck. While rarer in Legacy due to faster and better options, it still occasionally appears in Nadu Aggro and Maverick style decks, often as a toolbox card with Green Sun’s Zenith. Birds of Paradise is not on the Reserved List, so it has been reprinted many times.