Odds are, at this level you’ve in all probability seen or know somebody who has a wise fowl 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 vivid 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 in regards to the squirrel drawback?
Fortunate for you we’ve been testing the most well-liked sensible fowl feeder fashions, together with Netvue’s unique 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 optionally available 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 evaluation of the FeatherSnap Scout. We additionally added data 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 straight on the home or on a fence with the included bracket mounts, or hung from a shepherd’s hook.
After setup, we stuffed them with fowl 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 search out them. We checked out all of the included app options, seeing how usually we acquired notifications and noting whether or not they’re precisely choosing up simply birds or any kind of out of doors motion, and the way nicely they’re in a position to distinguish fowl species. We disassembled and cleaned them, returning them to their mounts after. We check each for 2 weeks at minimal, however normally for over a month.
Ideas for a Higher Chook Feeder Expertise
- Preserve feeders tremendous clear. The very last thing you need to do to your feathered company is make them unwell 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 completely earlier than including extra seed (you do not need bleach residue both). Keep watch over fowl flu outbreaks and take note of what the birds appear like at your personal feeders. In the event you suspect one thing, you may need to take away the feeder till issues look higher.
- Solely get a hummingbird feeder for those who’re devoted to protecting it spotless. It’s essential to be much more diligent about cleanliness right here. It’s essential to clear a hummingbird feeder each two to 3 days. Nectar sitting within the solar harbors micro organism progress rapidly, which might trigger hummingbird tongues to swell and nearly at all times ends of their demise. Pink attracts these birds, however do not use pink nectar. There aren’t any research conclusively proving that dye harms birds, however at finest it is pointless and at worst would possibly make them sick. As an alternative, go for feeders with pink items to get their consideration or stick with planting hummingbird-friendly flowers and skip the feeder altogether.
- Add a water supply too. Birds want clear water for ingesting and bathing, so you can also make your yard extra of an oasis by offering it. The identical cleansing approach outlined above goes for baths. You can even think about including common fowl homes for birds to nest.
- Give birds time. You doubtless will not see birds at your feeder day one. Give them time to search out it and belief it. If after a number of weeks you continue to do not have guests, it is perhaps time to reevaluate what sort of fowl seeds you are utilizing or the place you have positioned it.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
As is the case with any fowl feeder, squirrels like to eat at sensible fowl feeders, which aren’t squirrel-proof, no matter advertising claims. Nonetheless, a lot of the sensible feeders we’ve examined are simply as sturdy, if not in some circumstances sturdier, than analog fowl 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 sides, and overlaying up the digital camera with its fuzzy butt.
The yard the place I check sensible feeders year-round is awful with the massive and protracted rodents, and the squirrel injury I’ve sustained on check feeders has been minor. With the Birdfy Professional Duo, under, the animals chewed off the sides 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 fowl feeder—not less than 5 toes off the bottom, not less than 7 toes away from any constructions, and not less than 9 toes 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 supplied by Birdfy. An alternative choice is utilizing seed handled with capsaicin, or sizzling pepper. Birds don’t have capsaicin receptors like mammals do, so 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 would at all times simply be taught to stay 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?
Greatest General
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 may 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’s going to 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 large variability in lighting, shadows, and digital camera cleanliness, no AI goes to carry out flawlessly. In contrast to some manufacturers’, Birdfy’s AI nonetheless works extra usually than it does not.
Medea discovered that the 1080P wide-angle digital camera 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 gives colour evening imaginative and prescient. The IP65 plastic building additionally makes this feeder sturdy and simpler to wash, and the 50-ounce seed reservoir is way simpler to fill than the Chook Buddy with its handy flip-up high. Not all bundles include a photo voltaic panel, however you’ll be able to purchase it individually. In contrast to different feeders, the photo voltaic panel is just not inbuilt and must 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.)
Greatest-Wanting
Birdfy has a number of feeders we suggest. This bamboo one is the most effective trying, nevertheless it comes with a little bit of repairs. It does not have plastic elements like the remainder of the feeders on this checklist, and with its black and pure wooden hues, it appears prefer it belongs in nature. An extendable perch lets a number of birds collect and examine, and it has two giant bins for both several types of seeds or the identical. The bins mingle within the tray on the backside, nonetheless. The FeatherSnap feeder under makes use of separate bins and trays for those who want that.
Like a lot of the different feeders on this checklist, it may be mounted on a pole or tree or hung from a hook. It additionally comes with a photo voltaic panel that you would be able to mount as nicely, so that you by no means have to consider charging the digital camera 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 handbook states that it must be sealed. By way of Reddit, Birdfy recommends sealing utilizing a bird-safe wooden sealer. I am unable to remark straight on its sturdiness, since once I examined this feeder I used it on a desk on my coated balcony. —Medea Giordano
Greatest 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 straightforward. AI identification, 5-MP images, HD 2K video with slo-mo, every little thing 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 along 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 drawback—in contrast to different feeders which have weirdly cavernous capacities and/or should be stuffed the wrong way up, the Chook Buddy’s backside screws off and holds an inexpensive 1.75 cups of liquid. That is extra vital than you’d suppose, as Cornell Lab of Ornithology factors out that the simpler it’s to wash a hummingbird feeder, the extra doubtless you might be to do it usually and nicely.
{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 fowl that visits, which might undoubtedly be a bummer once you see one thing fascinating out the window nevertheless it doesn’t present up within the app. Hopefully that is one thing that may be remedied on subsequent app updates.
Greatest-Wanting 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 digital camera tools is situated in an easy-to-open rear hatch, and there’s even a distant management on the finish of a 10-foot wire to have the ability to cost (although it has a built-in photo voltaic panel, so that you doubtless received’t must) or reset the 1080p digital camera.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
It is easy to combine with the easy-to-use Birdfy app, which is prepared and ready to assemble a fowl’s shareable “story,” from meeting of the nest to hatching to fledgling, and at last “the tip,” when the nest is deserted for the season. Be aware that the digital camera does emit an audible click on at any time when it is triggered by motion or the app, and the within is a little bit bigger than most birds would naturally gravitate to. Our check home hasn’t had any fowl guests but this yr, however a undertaking director for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch stated it ought to solely be a matter of time.
Greatest App
Chook Buddy’s latest improve (7/10, WIRED Recommends) appears a lot the identical as its soon-to-be-phased-out unique feeder, save for a snazzy new HDR digital camera that may additionally shoot 2K HD video with slow-motion functionality. It has been going sturdy in my yard for over 4 months now. Along with having a visibly bigger, extra superior lens, the digital camera’s now acquired 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 photographs, and fewer background noise, nevertheless it’s completely usable with out this. )
The images aren’t practically as spectacular because the Birdfy Duo’s, and the digital camera, frustratingly, solely captures a handful of the birds that go to. (The non-solar model is at the moment flagged as a continuously returned merchandise on Amazon attributable to 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 want to go to. (Finches apparently like to go to my yard day-after-day at 10 am). The Chook Buddy additionally “sleeps” at evening and doesn’t appear to emphasise capturing images of individuals, so it would not make a sensible choice to double as a safety digital camera. Each Chook Buddys work with 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi solely.
Screenshot courtesy of Kat Merck
Set up choices embody a hanger or common mount for a standard-size pole (not included). In the event you stay in an space frequented by squirrels, I extremely suggest abiding by Chook Buddy’s “5-7-9” rule for siting your feeder: 5 toes off the bottom, 7 toes away from timber or constructions, and 9 toes 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 are going to 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’ price of seed. The feeder comes with its personal spouted cup, however I’ve but to fill the feeder with out making an unlimited mess. I even have the 3-in-1 Vitamin Set ($40), which features a screw-on tray that may variably develop into 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 inclined to shift out of digital camera view to keep away from it. General, this improve over the unique could also be price it for those who plan to benefit from a few of the app’s sharing options, particularly Premium’s capability to share your feeder livestream with others.
Beneficial With Reservations
Birdfy’s flagship improve for 2025, winner of this yr’s CES Innovation Award and an American Good Design Gold Award, has the most effective picture and video high quality of any fowl feeder I’ve examined, bar none. There’s one dual-lens front-facing digital camera (2-MP/1080p large angle and 3-MP/2K portrait) and one 2-MP/1080p aspect digital camera, and each seize sharp, extremely detailed video with high-quality sound. The front-facing digital camera will even pan and crop to make sure it is centered on a fowl. (Be aware that there is additionally a less expensive, single-camera model of the Feeder 2 that we have not examined.) The feeder’s IP66-rated plastic physique, which has held up very nicely up to now in Pacific Northwest winter climate, is wall-, pole-, or tree-mountable. An auxiliary photo voltaic panel and lifelong AI fowl 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 nicely, as this feeder appears to be a magnet for squirrels who prefer 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 finally.)
