Thanks so much!
Yeah didn’t have time to a ‘law of root’/FAQ entry. Yes bird cards play as usual for 2.1.1 - Birds are wild and II - Reverse substitution as usual. Bottom one is any two cards matching clearing with Gaze.
All effects apply to all clearings with Gaze, regardless of suit. The Manipulation markers cover the suit to (hopefully) make that clearer in play. The suit of the manipulation abilities is only relevant for discarding cards matching Gaze in ‘selection’ of which abilities will be active.
Hope that’s a reasonably clear explanation!