Odds are, 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 shiny goldfinch or good-looking woodpecker (responsible). The query at this level, then, is whether or not this stuff are actually definitely worth the $100-plus price ticket. Are they really sturdy? And what concerning the squirrel drawback?
Fortunate for you we’ve been testing the preferred good fowl feeder fashions, together with Netvue’s unique Birdfy feeder ($135) and Chicken Buddy’s new Professional mannequin ($199), 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 June 2025: We have added a hummingbird feeder from FeatherSnap, Birdfy’s new Tub Professional, and two choices from Camojojo Hibird.
Desk of Contents
Finest General
This cheery blue- or yellow-roofed feeder, from safety firm Netvue, is the primary good feeder former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano examined, again in 2022. At the moment she gave it a 6/10 ranking for its value 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 beneath), and this feeder may be very typically on sale for $200 or much less. When you pay $20 extra, you get a lifetime subscription of AI identification, which is a strong deal. With out it, it’s going to price you $5 a month. That is the feeder I purchased my aged dad and mom for Christmas throughout an Amazon Prime Day sale for its reliability and ease of use, although like Medea, they weren’t overly impressed with the AI. That mentioned, 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. Not like some manufacturers’, Birdfy’s AI nonetheless works extra typically than it does not.
Medea discovered that the 1080P wide-angle digital camera picks up much more motion from non-birds, so you might find yourself with a ton of notifications relying on the place that is positioned. When you’re hoping for a bird-feeder/security-camera hybrid, although, this could possibly be precisely what you need—particularly because it gives shade evening imaginative and prescient. The IP65 plastic building additionally makes this feeder sturdy and simpler to scrub, and the 50-ounce seed reservoir is way simpler to fill than the Chicken Buddy with its handy flip-up prime. Not all bundles include a photo voltaic panel, however you possibly can purchase it individually. Not like different feeders, the photo voltaic panel shouldn’t be inbuilt and should be mounted and linked individually with the included 9.8-foot charging cable. (The Birdfy comes with a pole mount, wall mount, and tree strap.)
Finest Connectivity
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
Camojojo
Hibird 4K HD Sensible Chicken Feeder With Digital camera
In case your router solely permits for 5-GHz Wi-Fi, you could have been feeling you are lacking out on the fowl feeder digital camera craze, as a lot of the cameras run on 2.4 GHz solely. Fortunate for you, there is a feeder that not solely runs on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz however is among the many most feature-rich and dependable I’ve examined. It is acquired a sturdy physique, 4K ultra-HD video, 1080p images, an included 128-GB SD card, and no subscription wanted. (Although that will change, Hibird’s rep informed me, because the model’s overhead with analysis and growth shouldn’t be sustainable.) It is simple to arrange proper out of the field, with clear directions and a beneficiant 1.5-liter feed container that is easy to fill. The AI is OK, someplace between Amazon manufacturers and extra established firms like Chicken Buddy and Birdfy. The app additionally is not the snazziest, and the Chat GPT-like “Dr. Chicken” query perform is a bit corny, however every little thing else is extraordinarily nicely finished and the picture and video high quality is actually top-tier.
