Birdwatching is a great way to connect with nature, but getting a closer look at birds can be challenging. Not only can birds get easily spooked, but we also can’t spend every second watching our feathered friends. Nevertheless, it’s now easier than ever to engage in birdwatching at home, and all you need is a smart bird feeder. These devices integrate built-in cameras and feature app connectivity, allowing them to automatically capture high-quality photos and videos of birds in real time with stunning detail. Some more advanced models even offer AI-powered bird identification, helping you learn more about the local bird species in your area. Whether you’re a casual bird enthusiast or an avid nature lover, a smart bird feeder elevates your birdwatching experience by providing you with a close-up view of visiting birds right in your backyard.
The Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO is a smart bird feeder that features a weather-resistant housing with a IP67 Waterproof Rating, a 0.9L seed bin, a built-in solar roof, and a detachable next-generation camera that can capture 5MP close-up photos and 2K videos of visiting birds with HDR in a 122º FOV and with excellent low-light performance, while also supporting slow-motion video recording. Its camera also leverages AI recognition technology to identify bird species and individual birds, detect signs of illness, and recognize other animal visitors, notifying you with real-time alerts sent to your phone, and also integrates a built-in microphone that lets you listen to birds singing. The device also boasts Wi-Fi connectivity, and its camera also offers up to one month battery.
Via the Bird Buddy App, users can name-tag returning birds that visit regularly and track their visits, share bird photos and videos with up to 10 family members and friends, can also access the company’s global network of smart bird feeders in prime birding locations. It also features Voice Assistant support for Amazon Alexa.
Designed with birds in mind, this smart bird feeder provides you with a more immersive way to experience birdwatching and connect with birds, making it the perfect backyard addition to bird lovers.
Here’s our in-depth review of the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO, where we have a closer look at this smart bird feeder and discuss all its standout features in detail.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the unit’s size, this smart bird feeder has a compact footprint, with the device measuring just 6.89 inches long by 6.3 inches wide by 9 inches tall (17.5 x 16 x 23 cm). The unit is also rather lightweight, weighing only 1.32 lbs. (600 g) with its seed bin empty (2.54 lbs. / 1.15 kg when having its seed bin completely full).
The Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO also sports a beautiful design, with its housing coming in a gorgeous, deep Blue color.
The device also packs a highly durable construction. Its housing is entirely built of ABS recycled plastic and is also rated to have a IP67 Waterproof Rating, which qualifies it as being both UV-resistant and weather-resistant.
Now moving to the main components that integrate the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO. Firstly, we have its seed bin, which has a total capacity of 0.9L (approximately 3.8 cups).
The bird feeder has a bird-friendly design with a protective roof that keeps the seeds inside its seed compartment protected from water damage caused by potential rain, while dual sided windows provide visibility to the inside of its seed bin, letting you know when it needs refilling.
Integrated at the back there’s a rear door that snaps open and shut, allowing for easy refilling of its seed bin. The left side of its roof comes equipped with a built-in solar roof panel that’s used for powering its dedicated camera.
For shooting photos and recording video of birds, the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO comes equipped with a next-generation, high-definition camera module that’s installed at the front-center of its seed bin.
Its camera can shoot 5MP close-up photos and record 2K videos of visiting birds with HDR at a 122º wide FOV (field of view), all captured with stunning quality, and its camera module is also detachable, allowing you to easily remove and store it indoors on extreme weather days.
The bird feeder’s camera module has also been upgraded from the one used in the original Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder model. It now integrates a larger camera sensor that supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), making it possible to balance bright and shadowy areas in high-contrast scenes, creating clearer images when birds are backlit or in patchy sunlight through trees.
Its camera sensor also has an enhanced focus range that allows the bird feeder’s camera to capture sharp close-ups with astonishing detail, a wider field of view that lets you capture images and videos of multiple birds and their interactions around the bird feeder in a single frame, and better low-light performance, which helps reduce noise and capture more light, resulting in crystal-clear images whether it’s early morning or late evening (note that the unit’s camera doesn’t feature night vision, so it can’t record at nighttime).
Its camera can also record smooth, slow-motion videos of birds in 2K quality at high frame rates of up to 120fps, allowing for slow-motion video playback in which split-second movements and behaviors of birds can be easily seen with great detail.
More impressively, the bird feeder’s camera also leverages AI recognition technology that was thoroughly trained on real real bird visits. This not only makes it capable of identifying a wide range of bird species and individual birds, but also to detect signs of illness in birds and even recognize other animals like cats or other pets. In addition, the camera also integrates a proprietary sensor for accurate motion detection.
You’re sent in-app alerts to your smartphone in real time when birds visit the feeder, as well as whenever a sick bird is detected to help prevent the spread of disease, and you also get notifications any time your pets or other animals are near the bird feeder to help keep birds safe.
Lastly, the bird feeder’s camera also integrates a built-in microphone that enables you to listen to birds singing.
SET UP / INSTALLATION
Regarding its installation, know that this smart bird feeder offers users an easy, straightforward setup, and supports various mounting options.
Before setting it up, you should charge the bird feeder’s camera module. Once its camera is charged, download the app, follow the pairing instructions provided, and connect the bird feeder’s camera to your home’s Wi-Fi network.
After that, mount the bird feeder on a pole using the included universal pole mount and screws (note that a standalone pole is not included), or alternatively, hang it hang from a tree branch using the kit’s included metal hanger.
Then simply add some bird seeds to the bird feeder’s seed bin, and you can start live streaming HD video from its camera module or wait until you receive a bird-detection notification on your phone through the Bird Buddy App.
Embedded below is the company’s official video guide on how to set up the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO:
CONNECTIVITY
For establishing a wireless connection with its mobile app, the bird feeder’s camera uses Wi-Fi connectivity (only works with 2.4GHz networks), plus Bluetooth connectivity.
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
While its camera module is powered by the bird feeder’s solar roof panel, it also comes equipped with a 3800 mAh Lithium-Ion battery, offering users up to one month of battery life, but will likely never need charging.
In case you ever need to recharge its camera, the kit also comes with USB-C charging cable, for which you simply have to detach its camera module from the bird feeder’s housing, connect it to its charging cable and adapter, and wait a couple hours.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The Bird Buddy App
For controlling the Smart Bird Feeder PRO’s operation and receiving notifications, users are required to install the Bird Buddy App, which is available for iOS and Android devices.
Via the Bird Buddy App, users can name-tag returning birds that visit the bird feeder regularly with a special nickname, track their visits, and create albums with all their recorded photos and videos, allowing you to connect with birds like never before.
Additionally, users can also share bird photos and videos with up to 10 family members and friends.
Another really cool feature is that you can also access the company’s global network of smart bird feeders in prime birding locations, allowing you to view live video of various bird species located in many places around the world, for which you’re also provided with educational content in the form of interesting facts about those birds.
OTHER NOTABLE FUNCTIONALITIES
Voice Assistant Support (for Amazon Alexa)
Last of all, this smart bird feeder also features Voice Assistant support for Amazon Alexa, allowing users to control its operation with simple voice commands.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside their package, users will find: the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO, its housing roof (with a built-in solar panel if purchasing that particular model), its AI-powered camera module, a universal pole mount and screws, a metal hanger, a seed scoop (for filling in its seed bin), a USB-C charging cable (to recharge its camera if necessary), and a user manual.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In short, the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder PRO elevates the traditional concept of birdwatching with several smart features, making it hands down one of the best smart bird feeders currently available on the market. It’s easy to set up, has a user-friendly app, and provides you with the ability to shoot endless photos and videos of visiting birds, all captured in high resolution.
If you’re interested in purchasing it, know that the company is currently running a Spring Sale, for which the solar panel model is under a 40% discount, bringing down its price from $349 to $219, while the standalone bird feeder (without solar panel) is under a 35% discount, lowering its price from $279 to $189.
You can order it online either directly from Bird Buddy’s official shopping page, or you can buy it on Amazon.
AVAILABLE ADD-ONS FROM BIRD BUDDY
Bird Buddy also has a few add-ons available for the Smart Bird Feeder PRO, which include the following:
Bird Buddy 3-in-1 Nutrition Set
This 3-in-1 nutrition set from Bird Buddy offers three different ways to nurture visiting birds, either with seeds, fruits and jellies, or water. These accessories can be attached to the bird feeder on either side of its perch.
The Bird Buddy 3-in-1 Nutrition Set is priced at just $39, and is available in Blue and Yellow.
Bird Buddy Wall Mount
Bird Buddy’s 180-degree spinning wall mount gives you a safe way to mount the bird feeder onto any surface, while still enabling for convenient seed refills by simply rotating it to the back. Just like the bird feeder, it offers an easy installation.
The Bird Buddy Wall Mount is currently discounted from $29 down to $24.
Bird Buddy Suet Ball Holder
Bird Buddy’s Suet Ball Holder provides visiting birds with a nutrient-rich snack in the form of a suet ball prepared by you, giving them a quick and delicious meal time in alternative to just seeds. This add-on can be easily mounted onto the bird feeder’s perch.
The Bird Buddy Suet Ball Holder is also discounted from $19 to $14.
