Cryptic crossword clue
Chum with a cord securing foot of awkwardish bird 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word PHALAROPE

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

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 = phalarope.
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 PHALAROPE mean?

PHALAROPE noun
  1. Any of three small wading birds in the genus Phalaropus, of the family Scolopacidae, that have lobed toes.

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