Leaves offspring with strangers, which is a little wayward, perhaps (6)
I believe the answer is:
cuckoo
'leaves offspring' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both animals as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cuckoo that I've seen before include "that can emerge at hourly intervals" , "Hourly you might hear this" , "building no nest?" , "One calling on the hour" , "counting as bird? Yes and no" .)