| 100% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | Bird in a pear tree, as per the carol |
| 77% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | Bird in a pear tree in the Christmas carol |
| 64% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | Bird in a pear tree, in a classic Christmas carol |
| 64% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | Bird in a pear tree in the famous Christmas song |
| 59% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | Bird in a pear tree in "The Twelve Days of Christmas" |
| 49% | LARK | 4 | Bird in the expression "happy as a ___" |
| 48% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | Christmas bird found in a pear tree |
| 46% | LOON | 4 | Bird known in the U.K. as a diver |
| 46% | SYCAMORE | 8 | Birds singing in the __ tree; dream a little dream |
| 46% | SWAY | 4 | Move in the breeze, as a tree |
| 44% | SWAY | 4 | Move in the breeze, as a tree (anagram of "ways") |
| 43% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | 40 Down ''tree'' bird in a Christmas carol |
| 42% | PARTRIDGE | 9 | First day of Christmas present in a pear tree |
| 42% | ACACIA | 6 | Tree which yields gum arabic, used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in the food industry |
| 42% | HENS | 4 | French birds in a Christmas carol |
| 39% | SWAN | 4 | Bird in the title of a famous ballet |
| 39% | TREE | 4 | Partridge in a pear __, Christmas carol gift |
| 39% | AND | 3 | "___ a partridge in a pear tree" |
| 39% | PEAR | 4 | Tree in a Christmas carol |
| 38% | LUTHERAN | 8 | Like the carol "Away in a Manger," originally |
| 38% | SCROOGE | 7 | The famous miser in Dickens' A Christmas Carol |
| 38% | NEST | 4 | Bird's home in the trees |
| 38% | ONICE | 5 | In the bag, as a win |
| 38% | ACACIA | 6 | Tree known as a "wattle" in Australia |
| 38% | LOCH | 4 | A lake in Scotland, as the Ness |
| 38% | OPEN | 4 | In the clear, as a pass receiver |
| 38% | ALFRESCO | 8 | In the open air, as a meal |
| 37% | MAYAANGELOU | 11 | "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" writer who had a cameo as Aunt June in the 1993 film "Poetic Justice" (2 wds.) |
| 37% | JAY | 3 | Blue bird in the name of a pro baseball team |
| 37% | LOON | 4 | Bird called a "diver" in the U.K. |