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 ($135) and Bird Buddy’s new Pro model ($219), for months on end—in rain, snow, and 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 May 2025 : We added Birdfy’s Polygon smart birdhouse and Bird Buddy’s Pro hummingbird feeder as picks; a hummingbird feeder from Harymor, seed feeders from Sehmua, IsYoung, and PeckPerk; and a new review of the FeatherSnap Scout. We also added information on dealing with squirrels.
Table of Contents
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 hummingbird feeders, 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.
Tips for a Better Bird Feeder Experience
- Keep feeders super clean. The last thing you want to do to your feathered guests is make them ill from eating moldy seeds or spread avian diseases. Every two weeks, scrub feeders with warm, soapy water and then either soak them in one part bleach to nine parts water or one part white vinegar to one part water—both methods are recommended by Audubon. Rinse and dry thoroughly before adding more seed (you don’t want bleach residue either). Keep an eye on bird flu outbreaks and pay attention to what the birds look like at your own feeders. If you suspect something, you’ll want to remove the feeder until things look better.
- Only get a hummingbird feeder if you’re dedicated to keeping it spotless. You need to be even more diligent about cleanliness here. You need to clean a hummingbird feeder every two to three days. Nectar sitting in the sun harbors bacteria growth quickly, which can cause hummingbird tongues to swell and almost always ends in their death. Red attracts these birds, but don’t use red nectar. There are no studies conclusively proving that dye harms birds, but at best it’s unnecessary and at worst might make them sick. Instead, go for feeders with red pieces to get their attention or stick to planting hummingbird-friendly flowers and skip the feeder altogether.
- Add a water source too. Birds need clean water for drinking and bathing, so you can make your backyard more of an oasis by providing it. The same cleaning technique outlined above goes for baths. You can also consider adding regular bird houses for birds to nest.
- Give birds time. You likely won’t see birds at your feeder day one. Give them time to find it and trust it. If after a few weeks you still don’t have visitors, it might be time to reevaluate what kind of bird seeds you’re using or where you’ve placed it.
Photograph: Kat Merck
As is the case with any bird feeder, squirrels love to eat at smart bird feeders, which are not squirrel-proof, regardless of marketing claims. However, most of the smart feeders we’ve tested are just as sturdy, if not in some cases sturdier, than analog bird feeders. If the feeder is hanging, the worst that will probably happen is that the squirrel’s weight will cause it to swing wildly, spilling seed onto the ground. If it’s mounted, the worst-case scenario is likely the squirrel eating all the seed, chewing the edges, and covering up the camera with its fuzzy butt.
The yard where I test smart feeders year-round is lousy with the large and persistent rodents, and the squirrel damage I’ve sustained on test feeders has been minor. With the Birdfy Pro Duo, below, the animals chewed off the edges to better get at the seed supply when it was low, and the FeatherSnap Scout had its mounting bent. Top of mind is the 5-7-9 method of siting a bird feeder—at least 5 feet off the ground, at least 7 feet away from any structures, and at least 9 feet away from anything a squirrel could jump from (branches, fences, roofs).
Another option is an aftermarket baffle added to feeders hanging on shepherd’s hooks, or a pole with a built-in baffle, like this one offered by Birdfy. Another option is using seed treated with capsaicin, or hot pepper. Birds don’t have capsaicin receptors like mammals do, so they’re not affected by the taste. That said, I’ve found capsaicin only keeps squirrels away for a couple of days, whether because they’ve gotten used to it or the pepper loses its potency when exposed to the elements. As a last resort, you could always just learn to live with the squirrels and dedicate a feeder to them, although my neighbor does this and I’m of the mind it brings even more squirrels to the area.
What Are We Testing Next?
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 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.)
Best-Looking
Birdfy has multiple feeders we recommend. This bamboo one is the best looking, but it comes with a bit of upkeep. It doesn’t have plastic parts like the rest of the feeders on this list, and with its black and natural wood hues, it looks like it belongs in nature. An extendable perch lets multiple birds gather and investigate, and it has two large bins for either different types of seeds or the same. The bins mingle in the tray at the bottom, however. The FeatherSnap feeder below uses separate bins and trays if you prefer that.
Like most of the other feeders on this list, it can be mounted on a pole or tree or hung from a hook. It also comes with a solar panel that you can mount as well, so you never have to think about charging the camera battery.
As beautiful as the bamboo feeder is, it does require maintenance. Birdfy notes that the feeder has a waterproof rating of IP65 and that it’s mold- and rot-resistant. However, the user manual states that it needs to be sealed. Via Reddit, Birdfy recommends sealing using a bird-safe wood sealer. I can’t comment directly on its durability, since when I tested this feeder I used it on a table on my covered balcony. —Medea Giordano
Best Smart Hummingbird Feeder
Bird Buddy is known for its user-friendliness and thoughtful app, and its new Pro Smart Hummingbird Feeder is no exception. Everything about its use is intuitive and easy. AI identification, 5-MP photos, HD 2K video with slo-mo, everything you need is included out of the box—no subscription needed. There’s no auxiliary solar panel to worry about, as it’s built into the roof. Pairing with your phone is a cinch, integrating it into the Bird Buddy app with other feeders is a snap, and even filling it is no problem—unlike other feeders that have weirdly cavernous capacities and/or need to be filled upside down, the Bird Buddy’s bottom screws off and holds a reasonable 1.75 cups of liquid. This is more important than you’d think, as Cornell Lab of Ornithology points out that the easier it is to clean a hummingbird feeder, the more likely you are to do it often and well.
Photograph: Kat Merck
It also comes with extra plastic flowers and a brush, and the app sends reminders as to when it’s time to clean. As with the Bird Buddy Pro seed feeder (7/10, WIRED Recommends), the sensor doesn’t always pick up every bird that visits, which can definitely be a bummer when you see something interesting out the window but it doesn’t show up in the app. Hopefully this is something that can be remedied on subsequent app updates.
Best-Looking Smart Birdhouse
Birdfy’s new Polygon Smart Birdhouse (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t the first smart birdhouse on the market, but it is the most interesting-looking. The parallelogram-esque, turquoise-paneled shape won a Gold award at 2024’s French Design Awards, and it’s easy enough to mount on a pole, fence, or tree. All the camera equipment is located in an easy-to-open rear hatch, and there’s even a remote control at the end of a 10-foot cord to be able to charge (though it has a built-in solar panel, so you likely won’t need to) or reset the 1080p camera.
Photograph: Kat Merck
It’s simple to integrate with the easy-to-use Birdfy app, which is ready and waiting to assemble a bird’s shareable “story,” from assembly of the nest to hatching to fledgling, and finally “the end,” when the nest is abandoned for the season. Note that the camera does emit an audible click whenever it’s triggered by movement or the app, and the inside is a little larger than most birds would naturally gravitate to. Our test house hasn’t had any bird visitors yet this year, but a project director for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch said it should only be a matter of time.
Best App
Bird Buddy’s newest upgrade (7/10, WIRED Recommends) looks much the same as its soon-to-be-phased-out original feeder, save for a snazzy new HDR camera that can also shoot 2K HD video with slow-motion capability. It’s been going strong in my yard for over four months now. In addition to having a visibly larger, more advanced lens, the camera’s now got a larger focus range, wider field of view, and high-fidelity microphone. (A subscription to Premium for $7.50 a month unlocks 2K Ultra with a higher video bitrate, allowing for richer colors, sharper images, and less background noise, but it’s perfectly usable without this. )
The photos aren’t nearly as impressive as the Birdfy Duo’s, and the camera, frustratingly, only captures a handful of the birds that visit. (The non-solar version is currently flagged as a frequently returned item on Amazon due to both this and charging issues, so I recommend the solar version.) But the app is a standout, with a user-friendly design and plenty of helpful alerts, like if a cat is detected nearby, or if it’s time to clean the feeder. It also serves you insights gathered over time, like what time certain species seem to prefer to visit. (Finches apparently like to visit my yard every day at 10 am). The Bird Buddy also “sleeps” at night and does not seem to emphasize capturing photos of people, so it wouldn’t make a good choice to double as a security camera. Both Bird Buddys work with 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi only.
Screenshot courtesy of Kat Merck
Installation options include a hanger or universal mount for a standard-size pole (not included). If you live in an area frequented by squirrels, I highly recommend abiding by Bird Buddy’s “5-7-9” rule for siting your feeder: 5 feet off the ground, 7 feet away from trees or structures, and 9 feet of clearance above it. Squirrels haven’t shown interest in chewing my Bird Buddy Pro, which is hanging from a shepherd’s hook near a tree, but they will swing on it, spilling much of the seed.
One of the biggest downsides of both Bird Buddys is the infuriatingly small, hinged opening for filling the 4 cups’ worth of seed. The feeder comes with its own spouted cup, but I have yet to fill the feeder without making an enormous mess. I also have the 3-in-1 Nutrition Set ($40), which includes a screw-on tray that can variably become 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 found that it blocks enough of the perch area that birds tend to shift out of camera view to avoid it. Overall, this upgrade over the original may be worth it if you plan to take advantage of some of the app’s sharing features, especially Premium’s ability to share your feeder livestream with others.
Recommended With Reservations
Birdfy’s flagship upgrade for 2025, winner of this year’s CES Innovation Award and an American Good Design Gold Award, has the best photo and video quality of any bird feeder I’ve tested, bar none. There’s one dual-lens front-facing camera (2-MP/1080p wide angle and 3-MP/2K portrait) and one 2-MP/1080p side camera, and both capture sharp, highly detailed video with high-quality sound. The front-facing camera will even pan and crop to ensure it’s focused on a bird. (Note that there’s also a cheaper, single-camera version of the Feeder 2 that we haven’t tested.) The feeder’s IP66-rated plastic body, which has held up very well so far in Pacific Northwest winter weather, is wall-, pole-, or tree-mountable. An auxiliary solar panel and lifetime AI bird identification are both included.
The reservoir holds slightly less seed than the original plastic Birdfy, at 42 ounces vs. Birdfy 1’s 50 ounces, which is just as well, as this feeder seems to be a magnet for squirrels who like to chew on it and steal the seed. I had constant trouble with the rodents chewing off the sides and compartment dividers during my two months of testing. (I had marginal success mixing Audubon Wild Bird Food with habanero-based Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Sauce, $16, but the squirrels did come back eventually.)
