I like to play the bird as white but just cant find a good reply for 1. f4  c5.

(Apart from the Grand Prix)

Any ideas?

Thank You

You could play the Leningrad with g3.  Black can't play d5 if he wants to stay in independent Sicilian lines.

you can play on dark squares with b3 and Bb2, you will have huge control of e5

another idea in this line is to post your light squared bishop on e2 instead of b5, keeping the bishop pair

 Its irellevant the black has won alot of the games with this, it was the skills of the players that made them lose not the opening, it is just how you handle the position, to insert a diagram you press a little chess icon under your user name when posting

you could always play the stonewall against the siclian. 

David face it other peope are better than you. you just got snaped

 David you should maybe try D4

1f4 e5 2fxe5 d4 3exd4 Bxd4 and black will enjoy iniative for some moves.

The From Gambit is very good for black, so I always transpose to the King's Gambit

What's wrong with the Grand Prix? 2. Nc3 and 3.e4 if black doesn't play 2...d5.

From's Gambit isn't that scary for white. I'd rather play it than learn the KG.

As for the original question, I play pretty much the same formation against both c5 and d5 - the Classical Bird. f4, Nf3, d3 to support e4 (possibly with e3 along the way, if I can't get in e4 early), Be3, O-O, etc.

I also play that formation as the Classical Dutch against both 1. c4 and 1. d4 as black.

I do want to learn the Sicilian Grand Prix. I think after 1. f4 c5, I can probably get e4 in faster than I usually do in the Classical Bird, then continue with the same type of king side attack that I like.

1...c5 tends to be played as a bluff to get you in sicilian lines. 1.Nc3 c5 is similar lol. Usually it comes with ...d6 and ...g6 but you can stay in usual Bird territory.

I wouldn't touch From's gambit though. The odds of meeting someone that plays the Bird are low and the chances of someone actually knowing the From are even lower.

From's Gambit is good, and I expect that those who play it know the Black side of the King's Gambit as well.  Winning with Black in the King's Gambit depends on the chess rating.

Aside from this opening being anti-positional, why wouldn't players answer with 1...c5  ?  Afterall, roughly half of all King Pawn games now are Sicilians.  In fact why wouldn't they answer with 1...e5   ?

Gran Prix or Leningrad Dutch?  Not much different.  Moving the White queen to e1 is very popular in the Leningrad Reversed.  If 1 f4 is your choice, then c5 is going to be your problem.  JUST PLAY CHESS.  What's the point of wasting 20 years with the openings and still not be able to play chess.  OPENINGS DO NOT WIN CHESS GAMES - PLAYERS DO.

Suggest you look at the games of Tartakover and Bird.  Join the We Love Natalie Pogonina group.  She will answer your questions.

Also Bagirov, Larsen and Fischer transformed it into the modern Nimzo-Larsen Attack.