is there such thing as too much lens for a canon t1i?

Nope, not a waste. It's actually more important that you get the most expensive lens you can afford, and go for cheaper camera bodies instead; not the other way around. Reasons being that all current DSLRs are capable of professional results and are pretty much identical in terms of image quality up to ISO 800, while lenses are a different story in that there's a huge difference between the quality of a cheap lens compared to ones that's more expensive. Furthermore, while camera go out of date every 2 years or so, any good lens you buy today will still be the best 10 years down the road.

The lens will work perfectly on your camera, no worries there.

As to the statement that 200mm is to short... too many variables to judge that one. Are you trying to shoot chickadee size birds at 200 yards, or elephants at the zoo? It may be enough, or it may not.

There are other reasonably priced lenses with longer reach... the Sigma 120-400 comes to mind. $850-$900 or so. Tamron 200-500, about the same price or slightly higher.

Even a decent 70 or 75-300 can be used quite well, like the Sigma 70-300 APO at $200-ish and the Canon 75-300 IS at about $600.

It\'s a waist of money in the fact that 200mm is way, waaaay to short for wildlife.