The odds are You’ve probably seen and heard of people who have smart bird feeders. They are quite recognised from afar with clear homes, cameras and solar panels, and perhaps friends and family sent us photos and videos of bright goldfinches or handsome foxes (guilty). The problem at this point is that these are Really It’s worth a price tag of over $100. Are they actually durable? And what about the squirrel problem?
Fortunately, we are testing our most popular smart bird feeder model. Netvue’s Original Bird Fee Feeder ($145), Birdbuddy ($239)and even at a low price Bird Feeder Camera Case ($56)rain, snow, Texas heat, and months in a garden with persistent squirrels. I investigated app and notification settings, installed and used the optional solar panel Cornell Lab is all about birds-Similarly Google Lens And to verify the accuracy of our own local expertise – AI identification.
Updated February 2025: Added Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro and Harymor Bird Feeder on camera, updated long-term test notes on Birdfy Duo, Reordered Picks and updated links and pricing.
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Former wired reviewer Medea Giordano tested several feeders in his Texas balcony and in his Pennsylvania backyard. In Texas, she set them on a table and secured them to the railing with the included mounting strap. In Pennsylvania, she used bracket mounts to attach them to the poles. Wired reviewer Kat Merck tested feeders in rural neighborhoods in southwestern Washington. The feeders were mounted directly to the house, directly on a fence with bracket mounts, or hung from a shepherd’s hook.
After setup, we fill them with bird seeds (or, for bird-like ham, a mixture of 4:1 granulated sugar and water nectar) and patiently wait for local birds to find them I did. Check all included app features to see how often you receive notifications, whether you are picking up exactly the birds, picking up all kinds of outdoor movements, or whether you can distinguish between bird species I’ve checked. We disassembled them and cleaned them, then returned them to their mounts. Test each for at least two weeks, but usually for more than a month.
Overall best
This hilarious blue and white feeder from security company Netvue is the first smart feeder from previous wired reviewer Medea Giordano, tested in 2022. At that time, she gave her a 6/10 rating with her price and volatile AI. Since then, both metrics have improved. I was impressed with the AI in Birdfy App when I tested the upgraded 2 duo (see below). This feeder is available for sale for under $200. Paying an additional $20 will give you a lifetime AI Identification subscription. This is a solid transaction. Without it, it costs you $5 a month. Medea tested both this and the Birdfy Bambe Feeder (bottom) and found that AI perceptions do not always correctly identify birds. This was a feeder who bought older parents for Christmas during an Amazon Prime Day sale and had a similar experience. That said, I have tested feeders from multiple brands and given the wide variation in lighting, shadows and camera cleanliness, AI never runs perfectly. Unlike some brands, Birdfy’s AI works more frequently than they don’t.
Medea has discovered that the 1080p wide-angle camera picks up more movement from non-birds, so depending on where this is located, it could end up with lots of notifications. However, if you’re looking for a bird feeder security camera hybrid, this could be exactly what you want. The IP65 plastic construction makes this feeder durable and easy to clean, and the 50 oz seed reservoir can be filled much easier than a bird buddy with a convenient flip-up top. Not all bundles come with solar panels, Please purchase separately. Unlike other feeders, the solar panels are not built in and must be attached and connected separately with the included 9.8 feet charging cable. (Birdfy comes with pole mounts, wall mounts and tree straps.)
Unfortunately, we haven’t tested the perfect smart bird feeder yet, but basic plastic birds are the best option on the market today due to their value, ease of use and combination of functionality I think so.
runner-up
Bird Buddy (8/10, Wired beconess) is the original smart feeder, originally inspired by wired reviewer Medea Giordano, who launches this guide after the feeder was announced at CES 2022. It’s easy to manage and set up, especially if the flash roof solar panels sprout for an additional $20. The design of solar panels does not require separate mounting or exposure lines for squirrels or other animals to potentially bite. Although AI is not exemplary, the identification of that bird is not at least within the same family. For example, when Medea tested it, AI liked to say that the mourning pigeons that visited every day were sometimes white wings or Eurasian collled pigeons.
There are a lot of features that are not hidden behind the subscription paywall. Once a bird is identified, you see facts about the species, such as what they want to eat and their typical size and weight. You can also see the species of that bird in other community galleries (you should specifically choose to share the photos with the community in order to publish them). A premium subscription ($7.50 a month or $90 a year) unlocks features such as reporting photos of what you think is like a sick bird, along with the ability to give a unique name to a particular bird.
Medea recommended bouncing for Perch extenderthe stock perch doesn’t have many rooms, so I agree. I noticed that the bird was standing on the species or sitting on the corner of the perch. Other hosts have their own hosts in Bird’s Partners too. add onand by brand, creators can create Their own accessories Like cute fences and perches of all sorts.
