Birds count as changes (7)
I believe the answer is:
toucans
'birds' is the definition.
(toucan is a kind of bird)
'count as changes' is the wordplay.
'changes' indicates anagramming the letters.
'count'+'as'='countas'
'countas' anagrammed gives 'TOUCANS'.
(Other definitions for toucans that I've seen before include "Flyers" , "Brilliantly coloured birds of tropical America" , "they come with big bills" , "Brilliantly coloured birds with very large beaks" .)