The Guardian - Cryptic crossword No 28,624 - Dec 9 2021

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Clues Answers
About right, brief idea for currency FRANC
Bird after song for competition ROUNDROBIN
Bird laugh LARK
Bird or insect beside plant stem CORMORANT
Bird — tit BOOBY
Birds in tree almost caught by dogs COCKERELS
Bottom on turf, great tackle FACE
Composer didn't have 'unfinished', with end of symphony penned HAYDN
Contract secured by quail for device used on American rails COWCATCHER
Controlled strike at parrot in windy park KARATE
Cook cooks old birds DODOES
Corporation documents, puffed up TUMID
Dove, one perched on hand after uplifting eclipse PACIFIST
Herb has heard bird THYME
Laud vet following surgery after duck produced eggs OVULATED
Leader of Conservatives in bumbling oaf is humiliating disaster FIASCO
Money returned — woof! YAP
Clues Answers
More than one bird rises up, it's said? RHEAS
Novel is by all contributors initially referring to language unit SYLLABIC
Queen caught by pelican, neatly ANNE
Rogue payment in the news CURRENT
See 7 CHOP
Shag explorer lying back, commander TOBACCO
Shake tree, perhaps, where there's cuckoo I feed a lot DEFOLIATE
Sham flier heading north in gannet, acting like magpie? PILFERING
Some fugitive, as yet loose EASY
Squawk by old bird, though not old bird! MACAW
Swallow against birds flying west CONSUME
Terrible fear in turkey, seeing gull DEFRAUD
Ultimate characters seen in the magnificent Coptic church make an impression ETCH
Under spruce, hole's opening NEATH
Unfortunate scrap defended by jerk TRAGIC
Venom bound to stuff a bunny ACRIMONY