First, person snips off top of vegetable for bird (6)
I believe the answer is:
parrot
'for bird' is the definition.
(parrot is a kind of bird)
I can't explain the remainder of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for parrot that I've seen before include "Imitate like tropical bird" , "18's [BIRD]" , "Bird (that repeats)" , "Spout" , "Sick as a -" .)