New intel about northern songbird (6)
I believe the answer is:
linnet
'songbird' is the definition.
(I know that linnet is a type of songbird)
'new intel about northern' is the wordplay.
'new' indicates an anagram.
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'northern' becomes 'n' (abbreviation e.g. N. Ireland).
'intel' with letters rearranged gives 'linet'.
'linet' placed around 'n' is 'LINNET'.
(Other definitions for linnet that I've seen before include "A little bird" , "Brown-grey kind of finch" , "Common finch" , "See three down" , "Songster" .)