Lightly touch seabird, for example (7)
I believe the answer is:
pattern
'example' is the definition.
(I know that pattern is a type of example)
'lightly touch seabird' is the wordplay.
'lightly touch' becomes 'pat' (to pat something is to touch it lightly).
'seabird' becomes 'tern' (tern is a kind of seabird).
'pat'+'tern'='PATTERN'
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for pattern that I've seen before include "Ornamentation" , "Decorative design; model" , "Stencil" , "style" , "A guide for making something" .)