The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word YARDBIRD
Y
A
R
D
B
I
R
D
Buddy explains!

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 YARDBIRD mean?
YARDBIRD noun- A chicken.
- A person who is imprisoned.
- A soldier who is required to perform menial work on the grounds of a military base.