For the birds

Meaning

Not worthy of serious consideration.

Usage

Dismiss something as trivial or nonsense.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Birds were thought to eat scraps, so the phrase described worthless things.

Popularized in 20th-century American colloquial speech.