Bragged of bird to journalist (6)
I believe the answer is:
crowed
'bragged' is the definition.
(crowing is a kind of bragging)
'bird to journalist' is the wordplay.
'bird' becomes 'crow' (crow is a kind of bird).
'to journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'crow'+'ed'='CROWED'
'of' is the link.
(Other definitions for crowed that I've seen before include "Boasted" , "was triumphant" .)