Delay describing quiet victory for flapper (7)
I believe the answer is:
lapwing
'flapper' is the definition.
(lapwing is a kind of birdanimal)
'delay describing quiet victory' is the wordplay.
'delay' becomes 'lag' (lag is a kind of delay).
'describing' is an insertion indicator (describe can mean to form the outline of).
'quiet' becomes 'p' (music symbol for 'piano', ie soft or quiet).
'victory' becomes 'win' (a win is a victory).
'p'+'win'='pwin'
'lag' going around 'pwin' is 'LAPWING'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for lapwing that I've seen before include "Variety of plover" , "Type of plover" , "Large plover with a loud call -- peewit" , "wader" , "Bird of the plover family" .)