Bird's cry welcoming soldiers returning home (6,3)

'bird's' is the definition.
(horned owl is a kind of bird)

'cry welcoming soldiers returning home' is the wordplay.
'cry' becomes 'howl' (to howl is to cry out).
'welcoming' indicates putting letters inside (in sense of 'inviting in').
'soldiers' becomes 'or' (Other Ranks).
'returning' is a reversal indicator.
'home' becomes 'den' (an animal's home).
'den' back-to-front is 'ned'.
'or'+'ned'='orned'
'howl' placed around 'orned' is 'HORNED OWL'.