Cryptic crossword clue
Cat with bad intention gets the bird 12

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word WHIPPOORWILL

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
W
H
I
P
P
O
O
R
W
I
L
L

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "bird" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case bird = whippoorwill.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does WHIPPOORWILL mean?

WHIPPOORWILL noun
  1. A nocturnal insectivorous bird of North America, Caprimulgus vociferus, a type of nightjar, named after its characteristic call.

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