Odds are, at this point you’ve probably seen or know someone who has a smart bird feeder. They’re fairly recognizable from a distance with their clear housing, cameras, and solar panels, and perhaps a friend or family member has sent you a photo or video of a bright goldfinch or handsome woodpecker (guilty). The question at this point, then, is whether these things are really worth the $100-plus price tag. Are they actually durable? And what about the squirrel problem?
Lucky for you we’ve been testing the most popular smart bird feeder models, including Netvue’s original Birdfy feeder ($145), the Bird Buddy ($239), and even a lower-priced bird feeder camera case ($56), for months on end—in rain, snow, and Texas heat, and in a yard with persistent squirrels. We’ve explored the apps and notification settings, installed any optional solar panels, and used Cornell Lab’s All About Birds—as well as Google Lens and our own local expertise—to verify the accuracy of AI identifications.
Updated February 2025: We’ve added the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro and Harymor Bird Feeder With Camera, updated longer-term testing notes on the Birdfy Duo, reordered picks, and updated links and prices.
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Table of Contents
How We Test
Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano tested some feeders on a balcony in Texas and one in a backyard in Pennsylvania. In Texas, she set them up both on a table as well as secured to the railing with the included mounting straps. In Pennsylvania, she used the bracket mounts to attach to a pole. WIRED reviewer Kat Merck tested feeders in a rural-surburban neighborhood in Southwest Washington. The feeders were mounted directly on the house or on a fence with the included bracket mounts, or hung from a shepherd’s hook.
After setup, we filled them with bird seed (or, in the case of the Birdfy Hum, a nectar mixture of 4-to-1 granulated sugar and water) and patiently waited for the local birds to find them. We checked out all the included app features, seeing how often we got notifications and noting whether they are accurately picking up just birds or any type of outdoor movement, and how well they’re able to distinguish bird species. We disassembled and cleaned them, returning them to their mounts after. We test each one for two weeks at minimum, but usually for over a month.
Best Overall
This cheery blue-and-white feeder, from security company Netvue, is the first smart feeder former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano tested, back in 2022. At that time she gave it a 6/10 rating for its price and wonky AI. Both metrics have improved since then—I was impressed with the Birdfy app’s AI when I tested the upgraded 2 Duo (see below), and this feeder is very often on sale for $200 or less. If you pay $20 more, you get a lifetime subscription of AI identification, which is a solid deal. Without it, it’ll cost you $5 a month. Medea tested both this and the Birdfy bamboo feeder (below) and found the AI recognition didn’t always identify birds correctly. This is the feeder I bought my elderly parents for Christmas during an Amazon Prime Day sale, and they’ve had a similar experience. That said, I’ve tested feeders from multiple brands and, given the wide variability in lighting, shadows, and camera cleanliness, no AI is going to perform flawlessly. Unlike some brands’, Birdfy’s AI still works more often than it doesn’t.
Medea found that the 1080P wide-angle camera picks up a lot more movement from non-birds, so you may end up with a ton of notifications depending on where this is placed. If you’re hoping for a bird feeder-security camera hybrid, though, this could be exactly what you want—especially since it offers color night vision. The IP65 plastic construction also makes this feeder durable and easier to clean, and the 50-ounce seed reservoir is far easier to fill than the Bird Buddy with its convenient flip-up top. Not all bundles come with a solar panel, but you can buy it separately. Unlike other feeders, the solar panel is not built-in and will have to be mounted and connected separately with the included 9.8-foot charging cable. (The Birdfy comes with a pole mount, wall mount, and tree strap.)
Unfortunately, we have yet to test a flawless smart bird feeder, but I think the basic plastic Birdfy is the best option on the market right now for its value, ease of use, and combination of features.
Runner-Up
Bird Buddy (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the original smart feeder and what originally inspired WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano to launch this guide after the feeder was announced during CES 2022. Its compact, one-piece design (available in blue and yellow) is easy to manage and set up, especially if you spring for the flush roof solar panels for $20 more. The solar panel design doesn’t require separate mounting or exposed wires for squirrels or other animals to potentially chew. The AI isn’t exemplary, though its bird identification is at least usually within the same family. For example, when Medea tested it, the AI liked to say that the mourning doves that visited every day were occasionally white-winged or Eurasian-collared doves.
There are plenty of features that aren’t hidden behind a subscription paywall. When a bird is identified, you see facts about that species, including what they like to eat and their typical size and weight, plus clips of their bird songs and calls. You’ll also be able to see that species of birds among other community galleries (you have to specifically select to share with the community to have your photos made public). A Premium subscription ($7.50 a month or $90 a year) unlocks features like reporting photos of what you think might be sick birds, along with the ability to give specific birds unique names.
Medea recommended springing for the perch extender, since the stock perch doesn’t have a ton of room, and I agree—many times I noticed birds standing in the seed or sitting on the corner of the perch just out of view. The Bird Buddy also has its own host of other add-ons, and the brand allows creators to make their own accessories like cute fences and different types of perches.
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