Copper may be puffed, we hear, needing courage (10)
I believe the answer is:
bluebottle
'copper' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'puffed we hear needing courage' is the wordplay.
'puffed' becomes 'blew' (I've seen this before).
'we hear' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'needing' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'courage' becomes 'bottle' (I've seen this before**).
'blew' is a homophone of 'blue'.
'blue'+'bottle'='BLUEBOTTLE'
'may be' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for bluebottle that I've seen before include "Large fly -- wild cornflower" , "An insect; Goon character" , "Common blowfly" , "Fly - policeman" , "member of force" .)