Failures as birds (7)
I believe the answer is:
turkeys
This clue is a double definition.
'failures' is the first definition.
(turkey is a kind of failure)
'birds' is the second definition.
(turkey is a kind of bird)
'as' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for turkeys that I've seen before include "The birds for cranberry sauce, or theatre flops" , "Birds with fan-shaped tails" , "Movie flops" , "Theatre flops or Christmas birds" .)