Cryptic crossword clue
Young bird escaped to rear of waving heather 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Young bird" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case young bird = fledgling.
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 FLEDGLING mean?

FLEDGLING noun
  1. A young bird which has just developed its flight feathers (notably wings).
  2. An insect that has just fledged, i.e. undergone its final moult to become an adult or imago.
  3. An immature, naïve or inexperienced person.
FLEDGLING adjective
  1. Untried or inexperienced.
  2. Emergent or rising.

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