for the birds, it's/that's

for the birds, it's/that's

It’s useless, worthless; not to be taken seriously. This slangy Americanism dates from the first half of the twentieth century and crossed the Atlantic after World War II. One writer suggests it alludes to droppings left by the horses of horse-drawn carriages, from which small birds would extract the seeds. If this source is correct, the expression is a euphemism for “horseshit.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • gussied up, to get (all)
  • all-time high (low)
  • go while the going is good
  • give (someone/something) the once-over, to
  • color of your money, let's see the
  • get a load of something/someone
  • get stiffed, to
  • tree hugger
  • come on board
  • egg in your beer, what do you want?