Cryptic crossword clue
Hawk shows caprice flying — the thing must be caught 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
C
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Hawk/Hawk" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hawk/hawk = accipiter.
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 ACCIPITER mean?

ACCIPITER noun
  1. Any hawk of the genus Accipiter.
  2. A bandage applied over the nose, resembling the claw of a hawk.

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