What does the cryptic crossword clue "Bird, say, on top of tree (5)" mean?

The definition is "tree". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). EG (abbreviation="say,") + RE (abbreviation="on") + T (first_letter="tree") = EGRET; definition: "Bird," The answer is EGRET.

Bird, say, on top of tree (5)

Guardian Cryptic #27308 | 23 Down | 2017-09-21 flower

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