Best Bird Feeders With Cameras, Tested and Reviewed (2025) Leave a comment
Odds are, at this level you’ve in all probability seen or know somebody who has a sensible chicken feeder. They’re pretty recognizable from a distance with their clear housing, cameras, and photo voltaic panels, and maybe a buddy or member of the family has despatched you a photograph or video of a vibrant goldfinch or good-looking woodpecker (responsible). The query at this level, then, is whether or not these items are actually well worth the $100-plus price ticket. Are they really sturdy? And what concerning the squirrel downside?
Fortunate for you we’ve been testing the most well-liked sensible chicken feeder fashions, together with Netvue’s authentic Birdfy feeder ($135) and Chook Buddy’s new Professional mannequin ($219), for months on finish—in rain, snow, and warmth, and in a yard with persistent squirrels. We’ve explored the apps and notification settings, put in any non-obligatory photo voltaic panels, and used Cornell Lab’s All About Birds—in addition to Google Lens and our personal native experience—to confirm the accuracy of AI identifications.
Up to date Could 2025 : We added Birdfy’s Polygon sensible birdhouse and Chook Buddy’s Professional hummingbird feeder as picks; a hummingbird feeder from Harymor, seed feeders from Sehmua, IsYoung, and PeckPerk; and a brand new overview of the FeatherSnap Scout. We additionally added info on coping with squirrels.
Desk of Contents
Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano examined some feeders on a balcony in Texas and one in a yard in Pennsylvania. In Texas, she set them up each on a desk in addition to secured to the railing with the included mounting straps. In Pennsylvania, she used the bracket mounts to connect to a pole. WIRED reviewer Kat Merck examined feeders in a rural-surburban neighborhood in southwest Washington. The feeders have been mounted immediately on the home or on a fence with the included bracket mounts, or hung from a shepherd’s hook.
After setup, we crammed them with chicken seed (or, within the case of the hummingbird feeders, a nectar combination of 4-to-1 granulated sugar and water) and patiently waited for the native birds to seek out them. We checked out all of the included app options, seeing how usually we obtained notifications and noting whether or not they’re precisely selecting up simply birds or any sort of out of doors motion, and the way properly they’re in a position to distinguish chicken species. We disassembled and cleaned them, returning them to their mounts after. We take a look at every one for 2 weeks at minimal, however normally for over a month.
Suggestions for a Higher Chook Feeder Expertise
- Preserve feeders tremendous clear. The very last thing you need to do to your feathered friends is make them sick from consuming moldy seeds or unfold avian ailments. Each two weeks, scrub feeders with heat, soapy water after which both soak them in a single half bleach to 9 elements water or one half white vinegar to at least one half water—each strategies are beneficial by Audubon. Rinse and dry totally earlier than including extra seed (you don’t need bleach residue both). Control chicken flu outbreaks and take note of what the birds appear like at your individual feeders. In the event you suspect one thing, you will need to take away the feeder till issues look higher.
- Solely get a hummingbird feeder in case you’re devoted to conserving it spotless. It is advisable to be much more diligent about cleanliness right here. It is advisable to clear a hummingbird feeder each two to a few days. Nectar sitting within the solar harbors micro organism progress rapidly, which may trigger hummingbird tongues to swell and virtually at all times ends of their demise. Purple attracts these birds, however do not use crimson nectar. There are not any research conclusively proving that dye harms birds, however at greatest it is pointless and at worst may make them sick. As an alternative, go for feeders with crimson items to get their consideration or follow planting hummingbird-friendly flowers and skip the feeder altogether.
- Add a water supply too. Birds want clear water for ingesting and bathing, so you may make your yard extra of an oasis by offering it. The identical cleansing approach outlined above goes for baths. It’s also possible to take into account including common chicken homes for birds to nest.
- Give birds time. You possible will not see birds at your feeder day one. Give them time to seek out it and belief it. If after just a few weeks you continue to haven’t got guests, it may be time to reevaluate what sort of chicken seeds you are utilizing or the place you have positioned it.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
As is the case with any chicken feeder, squirrels like to eat at sensible chicken feeders, which aren’t squirrel-proof, no matter advertising and marketing claims. Nonetheless, a lot of the sensible feeders we’ve examined are simply as sturdy, if not in some circumstances sturdier, than analog chicken feeders. If the feeder is hanging, the worst that can in all probability occur is that the squirrel’s weight will trigger it to swing wildly, spilling seed onto the bottom. If it’s mounted, the worst-case situation is probably going the squirrel consuming all of the seed, chewing the perimeters, and overlaying up the digicam with its fuzzy butt.
The yard the place I take a look at sensible feeders year-round is awful with the big and chronic rodents, and the squirrel harm I’ve sustained on take a look at feeders has been minor. With the Birdfy Professional Duo, under, the animals chewed off the perimeters to higher get on the seed provide when it was low, and the FeatherSnap Scout had its mounting bent. High of thoughts is the 5-7-9 methodology of siting a chicken feeder—a minimum of 5 ft off the bottom, a minimum of 7 ft away from any buildings, and a minimum of 9 ft away from something a squirrel may soar from (branches, fences, roofs).
An alternative choice is an aftermarket baffle added to feeders hanging on shepherd’s hooks, or a pole with a built-in baffle, like this one provided by Birdfy. An alternative choice is utilizing seed handled with capsaicin, or scorching pepper. Birds don’t have capsaicin receptors like mammals do, in order that they’re not affected by the style. That stated, I’ve discovered capsaicin solely retains squirrels away for a few days, whether or not as a result of they’ve gotten used to it or the pepper loses its efficiency when uncovered to the weather. As a final resort, you possibly can at all times simply study to dwell with the squirrels and dedicate a feeder to them, though my neighbor does this and I am of the thoughts it brings much more squirrels to the world.
What Are We Testing Subsequent?
Finest Total
This cheery blue and white feeder, from safety firm Netvue, is the primary sensible feeder former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano examined, again in 2022. At the moment she gave it a 6/10 ranking for its worth and wonky AI. Each metrics have improved since then—I used to be impressed with the Birdfy app’s AI once I examined the upgraded 2 Duo (see under), and this feeder could be very usually on sale for $200 or much less. In the event you pay $20 extra, you get a lifetime subscription of AI identification, which is a stable deal. With out it, it will price you $5 a month. Medea examined each this and the Birdfy bamboo feeder (under) and located the AI recognition did not at all times determine birds appropriately. That is the feeder I purchased my mother and father for Christmas throughout an Amazon Prime Day sale, they usually’ve had the same expertise. That stated, I’ve examined feeders from a number of manufacturers and, given the extensive variability in lighting, shadows, and digicam cleanliness, no AI goes to carry out flawlessly. Not like some manufacturers’, Birdfy’s AI nonetheless works extra usually than it would not.
Medea discovered that the 1080P wide-angle digicam picks up much more motion from non-birds, so chances are you’ll find yourself with a ton of notifications relying on the place that is positioned. In the event you’re hoping for a bird-feeder/security-camera hybrid, although, this could possibly be precisely what you need—particularly because it presents coloration evening imaginative and prescient. The IP65 plastic development additionally makes this feeder sturdy and simpler to wash, and the 50-ounce seed reservoir is much simpler to fill than the Chook Buddy with its handy flip-up prime. Not all bundles include a photo voltaic panel, however you should buy it individually. Not like different feeders, the photo voltaic panel just isn’t inbuilt and should be mounted and related individually with the included 9.8-foot charging cable. (The Birdfy comes with a pole mount, wall mount, and tree strap.)
Finest-Trying
Birdfy has a number of feeders we suggest. This bamboo one is the perfect wanting, but it surely comes with a little bit of maintenance. It would not have plastic elements like the remainder of the feeders on this listing, and with its black and pure wooden hues, it appears to be like prefer it belongs in nature. An extendable perch lets a number of birds collect and examine, and it has two massive bins for both various kinds of seeds or the identical. The bins mingle within the tray on the backside, nevertheless. The FeatherSnap feeder under makes use of separate bins and trays in case you choose that.
Like a lot of the different feeders on this listing, it may be mounted on a pole or tree or hung from a hook. It additionally comes with a photo voltaic panel which you could mount as properly, so that you by no means have to consider charging the digicam battery.
As lovely because the bamboo feeder is, it does require upkeep. Birdfy notes that the feeder has a water-resistant ranking of IP65 and that it is mold- and rot-resistant. Nonetheless, the consumer guide states that it must be sealed. Through Reddit, Birdfy recommends sealing utilizing a bird-safe wooden sealer. I am unable to remark immediately on its sturdiness, since once I examined this feeder I used it on a desk on my lined balcony. —Medea Giordano
Finest Sensible Hummingbird Feeder
Chook Buddy is understood for its user-friendliness and considerate app, and its new Professional Sensible Hummingbird Feeder isn’t any exception. Every little thing about its use is intuitive and simple. AI identification, 5-MP pictures, HD 2K video with slo-mo, all the pieces you want is included out of the field—no subscription wanted. There’s no auxiliary photo voltaic panel to fret about, because it’s constructed into the roof. Pairing together with your telephone is a cinch, integrating it into the Chook Buddy app with different feeders is a snap, and even filling it’s no downside—in contrast to different feeders which have weirdly cavernous capacities and/or must be crammed the wrong way up, the Chook Buddy’s backside screws off and holds an affordable 1.75 cups of liquid. That is extra necessary than you’d assume, as Cornell Lab of Ornithology factors out that the better it’s to wash a hummingbird feeder, the extra possible you might be to do it usually and properly.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
It additionally comes with further plastic flowers and a brush, and the app sends reminders as to when it is time to clear. As with the Chook Buddy Professional seed feeder (7/10, WIRED Recommends), the sensor doesn’t at all times choose up each chicken that visits, which may undoubtedly be a bummer once you see one thing attention-grabbing out the window but it surely doesn’t present up within the app. Hopefully that is one thing that may be remedied on subsequent app updates.
Finest-Trying Sensible Birdhouse
Birdfy’s new Polygon Sensible Birdhouse (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t the primary sensible birdhouse in the marketplace, however it’s the most interesting-looking. The parallelogram-esque, turquoise-paneled form received a Gold award at 2024’s French Design Awards, and it’s straightforward sufficient to mount on a pole, fence, or tree. All of the digicam gear is positioned in an easy-to-open rear hatch, and there’s even a distant management on the finish of a 10-foot twine to have the ability to cost (although it has a built-in photo voltaic panel, so that you possible received’t have to) or reset the 1080p digicam.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
It is easy to combine with the easy-to-use Birdfy app, which is prepared and ready to assemble a chicken’s shareable “story,” from meeting of the nest to hatching to fledgling, and eventually “the top,” when the nest is deserted for the season. Word that the digicam does emit an audible click on each time it is triggered by motion or the app, and the within is somewhat bigger than most birds would naturally gravitate to. Our take a look at home hasn’t had any chicken guests but this 12 months, however a mission director for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch stated it ought to solely be a matter of time.
Finest App
Chook Buddy’s latest improve (7/10, WIRED Recommends) appears to be like a lot the identical as its soon-to-be-phased-out authentic feeder, save for a snazzy new HDR digicam that may additionally shoot 2K HD video with slow-motion functionality. It has been going robust in my yard for over 4 months now. Along with having a visibly bigger, extra superior lens, the digicam’s now obtained a bigger focus vary, wider area of view, and high-fidelity microphone. (A subscription to Premium for $7.50 a month unlocks 2K Extremely with a better video bitrate, permitting for richer colours, sharper photos, and fewer background noise, but it surely’s completely usable with out this. )
The pictures aren’t almost as spectacular because the Birdfy Duo’s, and the digicam, frustratingly, solely captures a handful of the birds that go to. (The non-solar model is at present flagged as a ceaselessly returned merchandise on Amazon because of each this and charging points, so I like to recommend the photo voltaic model.) However the app is a standout, with a user-friendly design and loads of useful alerts, like if a cat is detected close by, or if it is time to clear the feeder. It additionally serves you insights gathered over time, like what time sure species appear to choose to go to. (Finches apparently like to go to my yard each day at 10 am). The Chook Buddy additionally “sleeps” at evening and doesn’t appear to emphasise capturing pictures of individuals, so it would not make a sensible choice to double as a safety digicam. Each Chook Buddys work with 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi solely.
Screenshot courtesy of Kat Merck
Set up choices embrace a hanger or common mount for a standard-size pole (not included). In the event you dwell in an space frequented by squirrels, I extremely suggest abiding by Chook Buddy’s “5-7-9” rule for siting your feeder: 5 ft off the bottom, 7 ft away from timber or buildings, and 9 ft of clearance above it. Squirrels have not proven curiosity in chewing my Chook Buddy Professional, which is hanging from a shepherd’s hook close to a tree, however they’ll swing on it, spilling a lot of the seed.
One of many largest downsides of each Chook Buddys is the infuriatingly small, hinged opening for filling the 4 cups’ value of seed. The feeder comes with its personal spouted cup, however I’ve but to fill the feeder with out making an infinite mess. I even have the 3-in-1 Diet Set ($40), which features a screw-on tray that may variably grow to be a water fountain, jelly dish, or fruit stake for fruit-loving species like orioles. I’ve used it as a jelly dish and water fountain and located that it blocks sufficient of the perch space that birds are likely to shift out of digicam view to keep away from it. Total, this improve over the unique could also be value it in case you plan to benefit from a few of the app’s sharing options, particularly Premium’s skill to share your feeder livestream with others.
Really useful With Reservations
Birdfy’s flagship improve for 2025, winner of this 12 months’s CES Innovation Award and an American Good Design Gold Award, has the perfect photograph and video high quality of any chicken feeder I’ve examined, bar none. There’s one dual-lens front-facing digicam (2-MP/1080p extensive angle and 3-MP/2K portrait) and one 2-MP/1080p aspect digicam, and each seize sharp, extremely detailed video with high-quality sound. The front-facing digicam will even pan and crop to make sure it is centered on a chicken. (Word that there is additionally a less expensive, single-camera model of the Feeder 2 that we’ve not examined.) The feeder’s IP66-rated plastic physique, which has held up very properly up to now in Pacific Northwest winter climate, is wall-, pole-, or tree-mountable. An auxiliary photo voltaic panel and lifelong AI chicken identification are each included.
The reservoir holds barely much less seed than the unique plastic Birdfy, at 42 ounces vs. Birdfy 1’s 50 ounces, which is simply as properly, as this feeder appears to be a magnet for squirrels who wish to chew on it and steal the seed. I had fixed hassle with the rodents chewing off the perimeters and compartment dividers throughout my two months of testing. (I had marginal success mixing Audubon Wild Chook Meals with habanero-based Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Sauce, $16, however the squirrels did come again ultimately.)
