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This feeder also comes with extra plastic flowers and a small brush to clean them, and the app sends reminders when it’s time to clean. You’ll find fun, seasonal features in the app, such as being able to send digital bird holiday cards and photos your feeder takes, and a tool that goes beyond hats, clothing, and accessories for birds, which are funnier than they sound. However, as it is with Birdbuddy Pro feederbelow, the main problem is that the sensor of the feeder does not always pick up every bird that visits, which can be scary when you see something interesting on the screen but it does not appear in the program.
Best Smart Birdhouse
THE WIRE
- Two cameras show two scenes
- The solar-mountable solar panel was reliable in my testing
- Holes of different sizes can be placed on different surfaces
HE IS TIRED
- Wood requires care
- Birds didn’t like the mesh on the floor (removed).
After experiencing some problems connecting with a Birdfy Polygon (see below), I switched to the new Birdfy Duo and have had no problems. The stylish, modern duo is a fir box with two cameras – one facing the hole and the other cleverly tucked inside the feeder, so you can see everything that’s going on. Both cameras have night vision (infrared). Like the Polygon, the Duo sports a remote to restart and recharge the camera (although a separate solar, which can be fixed, keeps the cameras reliably), as well as different holes, each with its own protection.
There is a metal cabinet with drainage holes that you can insert into the bottom third of the Nest to make the hole larger or smaller. The birds of interest in my yard seemed to be thrown away by the cupboard, so I covered it with a layer of mud, which was a success – the chickadee quickly got in and laid seven eggs, all of which hatched. This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to use the Birdfly software’s ability to collect images and link them into a “story” that can be shared online, but I didn’t find it useful or accurate. It doesn’t matter, though, because videography has been fun and educational, and I wish I could afford to buy a Duo for everyone I know.
So far, the Duo has rained on the team and survived a couple of heat waves, but I can tell that the wood will need to be refinished after this season. (The weather has a thermometer and hygrometer, so you can keep an eye on the weather. I recently had to zip up an umbrella during a hot day, which probably saved the lives of the little ones.)
Smart Bird feeder is the best app
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Photo by Kat Merck
Birdbuddy
Smart Bird Feeder Pro
THE WIRE
- A fun and rich program
- Built-in solar works well
HE IS TIRED
- The camera does not capture all the birds all the time
Birdbuddy’s Pro version sport a front-facing HDR camera that can also record 2K video and is capable of slow motion. In addition to having a sharper and higher-quality lens than the original Burdbuddy, the camera now has a wider field of view, a 122-degree field of view, and a more reliable microphone. (Registration of Birdbuddy Premium $70 a year unlocks 2K Ultra with higher quality video, allowing for richer colors, sharper images, and less background noise—including the ability to set alerts for sick or injured birds, among other things—but it’s pretty usable without it. )
The images are not as clear as those of competitors such as Birdfy Pro Duo, Camojojo Hibird, or Kiwibit, and the camera, disappointingly, only captures a small portion of the birds that visit. However, the Birdbuddy app is very basic, with an easy-to-use interface and lots of useful information, such as when a cat is nearby, or when it’s time to clean the feeder.
It also helps identify data collected over time, such as when certain species seem to be more likely to visit. (Finches apparently like to visit my yard at 10 o’clock every day.), and there are special seasonal features like being able to send holiday cards or “dress up” visiting birds with hats, sunglasses, and sweaters. All Birdbuddys work with 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi only.
