Manage as copper seen with bird (3,2)
I believe the answer is:
cut it
'manage' is the definition.
(to 'cut it' is to manage or cope in a situation)
'copper seen with bird' is the wordplay.
'copper' becomes 'cu' (chemical symbol).
'seen with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'bird' becomes 'tit' (tit is a kind of bird).
'cu'+'tit'='CUT IT'
'as' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for cut it that I've seen before include "Meet standards" , "downsizing computer department?" , "Succeed" , "met requirements" , "manage" .)