Game bird to show signs of fear (5)

I believe the answer is:

quail

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'game bird' is the definition.
(I know that quail is a type of phasianid)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for quail that I've seen before include "Small bird of the partridge family" , "Flinch like gamebird" , "Game bird - cower" , "Shrink; a bird" , "See little bird" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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