Martini for example, putting bird on back! (8)
I believe the answer is:
cocktail
'martini for example' is the definition.
(martini is a kind of cocktail)
'bird on back' is the wordplay.
'bird on' becomes 'cock' (I've seen this before. I am not sure about the 'on' bit.**).
'back' becomes 'tail' (tail is a kind of back).
'cock'+'tail'='COCKTAIL'
'putting' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cocktail that I've seen before include "Possibly old-fashioned" , "Screwdriver, for example" , "old-fashioned in America" , "Mixed alcoholic drink or prawn appetiser" , "Manhattan, perhaps" .)