Birds is generally recognized as one of Aristophanes masterpieces for its imaginative plot (it is the source of the word Cloudcuckooland ) and its charming and original lyrics. This abridgment of Nan Dunbar s widely acclaimed edition of Birds published in 1995 preserves all the material designed to help the less advanced student of Greek or the non-specialist to translate understand and enjoy the play. It also retains the notes on staging but the metrical textual and ornithological problems are dealt with more summarily and purely illustrative parallels are omitted.