Friend climbing up to capture grand bird (7)
I believe the answer is:
lapwing
'bird' is the definition.
(lapwing is a kind of bird)
'friend climbing up to capture grand' is the wordplay.
'friend' becomes 'pal' (pal can mean a friend).
'climbing up' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'to capture' becomes 'win' (I've seen this in another clue).
'grand' becomes 'g' (G is short for grand as in a thousand).
'pal' written backwards gives 'lap'.
'lap'+'win'+'g'='LAPWING'
(Other definitions for lapwing that I've seen before include "Type of plover" , "Flier" , "high-flier" , "Large plover with a loud call -- peewit" , "Variety of plover" .)