I set up a bird camera in my backyard, and it captured things I’d never seen before

The bird feeder in my garden has always been an attraction, especially for those looking from the couch, during the pandemic a few years ago. Whether it’s particularly crowded on a sunny afternoon or playing an acrobatic to access the bird seeds, watching our feeders is a fun activity for everyone in our home. Bird’s companionBut it took it to the next level.

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Bird Band is an adorable but simple smart bird feeder. It features a 2k resolution camera module located in the perfect location to record and shoot birds visiting snacks. The Bird Buddy app alerts you on your smartphone when new bird visitors arrive, and you can check the app to see recorded footage, photos, and information about the species that have visited the feeder.

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After it was released on Kickstarter in the second half of 2020, Bird breeding sales during the Covid-19 pandemicBirdbuddy quickly gained supporters and became the single most funded project in the world’s gadget category.

Why get a Smart Bird Feeder?

I’m a sucker for all kinds of bird feeders. With different types of wild bird species, sweat or homemade blends, I have up to six sets at the same time.

Scrolling through my phone’s camera roll I see an assortment of highly zoomed in pixelated photos of birds gathered around my feeder.

Not only does the bird buddy take photos for me, but it’s far better than my phone because the camera is nearby, capturing 2k videos from 30 feet away just a few inches away. It also has the fact that my bird companion is always watching, so I can save a picture of the bird that stopped when I wasn’t even home.

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The bird buddy also identifies each bird that stops in for a meal. In addition to taking close-up photos and videos, it also visually recognizes bird species and tells you about them, including information about specific meals and favorite foods, lifestyle habits, geographic locations, and audio recordings of songs.

To help birds, bird companions track birds of different species to better understand movement patterns and bird populations Heartbeat Project. The campaign provides downloadable monthly data that can prove useful for conservationists and ornithologists looking for insights, watching live bird buddy feeders around the world.

Installation Process

The bird companion is mostly assembled, so think about what isn’t difficult. The box includes a home-style feeder, a camera module, USB-C charging cables and adapters, and suitable hardware to attach the bird buddy to the pole or hang it with the included cord.

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I didn’t have a spare pole at home, so I used a hanging cord. Regarding bird food, I decided to start with a mix of dried foods from the pantry and then opt for an elaborate blend of dried oats, dried cranberries, raisins and walnuts.

The camera module was fully charged within hours and secured to the bird feeder with strong magnets and small screws.

For placement, I chose the Holly bushes just outside the window in my home office. This choice was mainly because I could see it from my desk. I’ve seen many birds exploring those bushes so I knew it was already a bird hotspot.

Bird Buddy uses Wi-Fi to connect to your account and send captured photos and videos. In other words, it must be within Wi-Fi range. This is a clear challenge for devices designed to be placed outside, but something to keep in mind before purchasing.

We made our first successful contact on the second day when the bird feeder was out. A beautiful tufted tight mouse is carefully approaching, trying to determine whether all the flashy food I put out is real.

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I handed it a few minutes and then checked the Bird Band app and saw some pretty pictures of my new best friend, but there was nothing but an animation of a little bird waiting for the ball.

When the tufted tight mice returned on the same day, the app had no photos as if it had never happened. The tufted tight mice came at least four times on the second day when the bird’s buddy was awake, but the camera did not capture a snapshot of it.

With this app, you will check the camera feed in your settings to ensure everything is set up and works properly. However, this can reduce battery life and will take up to 2 minutes to load.

The bird buddies did not record or take photos until the third day, but once it started, they rarely missed visitors. The tufted tight mouse – now Walter – has come many times since, and has guessed at least one squirrel on sporadic visits from others, like the yellow-lamped warbler.

How it withstands everyday use

Having a bird companion was a great experience at home for all of us. It was educational and very interesting to see the birds personally close up as the bird companions captured them.

Whenever new visitors of birds and rodent types come in, the Bird Band app sends something called “postcards.” This includes visitors, videos, and 10 photos that allow you to choose which ones you can choose.

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After selecting Keeper, you can decide to publish it with the Birdbuddy community in the app or save it in a private collection.

The battery lasted about a week, and so did my flashy mix of dry food. Unloading the bird buddy and charging the camera module is a great opportunity to clean the feeder and refill the reservoir using the included bird seed cup. The bird buddy has a small door behind the seed reservoir that can drop bird food and close it when it’s done.

Adding additional

Bird mates have several drawbacks, but most can be solved with the various add-ons the company offers to its customers. For example, you could add a removable solar panel to the unit’s roof for $70. This reduces the frequency of charging the camera module.

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The young people in my house love to see what’s going on with the bird buddy app and have never seen such close-ups, high quality photos of birds visiting our backyard, so it’s blowing them away.

They are just as excited to try different species of birds to attract different types of birds.

The app is definitely slow as there is plenty of room for improvement. There are some bugs that sometimes load photos and videos, which could make them more user-friendly. Personally, I’d like to skip the postcard format of delivering bird visitor information and seek a simpler, simpler approach to being more intuitive for new users.

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Although the battery life is not at its maximum, a 4000 mAh rechargeable battery is coming out to face the world of birds. Therefore, battery life is expected to last less than a week or two. This can be improved on future models, or simply by adding a roof with solar panels.

After a few weeks of doing some practical tests, I love it Bird’s companion. It’s on the expensive side at $199, but I get it for my bird-loving relatives. It does an amazing job of taking beautiful photos of bird visitors and I especially love the AI-powered species recognition feature.