Crossword Genius

Part of plant or insect or bird (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

cormorant

'bird' is the definition.
(cormorant is a kind of bird)

'part of plant or insect' is the wordplay.
'part of plant' becomes 'corm' (type of stem part on some plants).
'insect' becomes 'ant' (ant is a kind of insect).
'corm'+'or'+'ant'='CORMORANT'

'or' is the link.

(Other definitions for cormorant that I've seen before include "Diving coastal bird" , "Black/white fish eater" , "Large voracious sea bird" , "Proverbially gluttonous seabird" , "Aquatic bird" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph and The Times.
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