wild goose, madam of a brothel, crested ibis
鴇 is a rare kanji with three distinct meanings that do not share a single clear conceptual center: a wild goose, a crested ibis, and a madam of a brothel. The bird meanings are primary, while the brothel sense is an obscure historical usage.
鴇 combines 鳥 (bird) with a left component that is likely a phonetic element. The exact historical origin of the left component is uncertain, and the connection to the brothel meaning is obscure.
The bird radical 鳥 on the right tells you it's a bird. The left part looks like a stylized crest or a goose's neck, helping you remember the crested ibis and wild goose meanings.
For ホウ, imagine a wild goose honking 'hou!' as it flies overhead: hou -> ホウ.