Bird alters the rent (4)

I believe the answer is:

tern

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

'alters the rent' is the wordplay.
'alters' indicates anagramming the letters.
'rent' with letters rearranged gives 'TERN'.

(Other definitions for tern that I've seen before include "Three-masted schooner" , "Rent out this gull" , "Small slender gull" , "Fork-tailed seabird" , "Winger" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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