Odds are, at this level you’ve in all probability seen or know somebody who has a wise chook 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 brilliant 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 downside?
Fortunate for you we’ve been testing the preferred sensible chook feeder fashions, together with Netvue’s authentic 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 non-compulsory 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 Might 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 crammed them with chook 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 typically we received notifications and noting whether or not they’re precisely choosing up simply birds or any sort of outside motion, and the way nicely they’re capable of distinguish chook species. We disassembled and cleaned them, returning them to their mounts after. We take a look at each for 2 weeks at minimal, however normally for over a month.
Ideas for a Higher Chook Feeder Expertise
- Hold feeders tremendous clear. The very last thing you wish to do to your feathered visitors is make them unwell from consuming moldy seeds or unfold avian illnesses. 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 1 half water—each strategies are really useful by Audubon. Rinse and dry completely earlier than including extra seed (you don’t need bleach residue both). Keep watch over chook flu outbreaks and take note of what the birds appear like at your individual feeders. For those who suspect one thing, you will wish to take away the feeder till issues look higher.
- Solely get a hummingbird feeder for those who’re devoted to holding 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 a few days. Nectar sitting within the solar harbors micro organism development shortly, which might trigger hummingbird tongues to swell and virtually at all times ends of their demise. Crimson attracts these birds, however do not use crimson nectar. There are not any research conclusively proving that dye harms birds, however at finest it is pointless and at worst may make them sick. As an alternative, go for feeders with crimson items to get their consideration or follow 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 method outlined above goes for baths. You can even think about including common chook homes for birds to nest.
- Give birds time. You probably 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 haven’t got guests, it could be time to reevaluate what sort of chook seeds you are utilizing or the place you have positioned it.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
As is the case with any chook feeder, squirrels like to eat at sensible chook feeders, which aren’t squirrel-proof, no matter advertising claims. Nonetheless, many of the sensible feeders we’ve examined are simply as sturdy, if not in some circumstances sturdier, than analog chook feeders. If the feeder is hanging, the worst that may 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 perimeters, and protecting up the digital camera with its fuzzy butt.
The yard the place I take a look at sensible feeders year-round is awful with the massive and protracted rodents, and the squirrel harm I’ve sustained on take a look at feeders has been minor. With the Birdfy Professional Duo, under, the animals chewed off the perimeters to higher get on the seed provide when it was low, and the FeatherSnap Scout had its mounting bent. Prime of thoughts is the 5-7-9 technique of siting a chook feeder—at the least 5 toes off the bottom, at the least 7 toes away from any buildings, and at the least 9 toes away from something a squirrel may leap from (branches, fences, roofs).
Another choice is an aftermarket baffle added to feeders hanging on shepherd’s hooks, or a pole with a built-in baffle, like this one provided by Birdfy. Another choice is utilizing seed handled with capsaicin, or scorching pepper. Birds don’t have capsaicin receptors like mammals do, so that they’re not affected by the style. That mentioned, 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 possibly can at all times simply study 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?
Finest 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 could be very typically on sale for $200 or much less. For those who pay $20 extra, you get a lifetime subscription of AI identification, which is a strong deal. With out it, it’s going to value 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 accurately. That is the feeder I purchased my dad and mom for Christmas throughout an Amazon Prime Day sale, and so they’ve had an analogous expertise. That mentioned, I’ve examined feeders from a number of manufacturers and, given the vast 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 would not.
Medea discovered that the 1080P wide-angle digital camera picks up much more motion from non-birds, so you could find yourself with a ton of notifications relying on the place that is positioned. For those who’re hoping for a bird-feeder/security-camera hybrid, although, this could possibly be precisely what you need—particularly because it affords shade night time imaginative and prescient. The IP65 plastic development additionally makes this feeder sturdy and simpler to scrub, and the 50-ounce seed reservoir is way simpler to fill than the Chook 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 just isn’t in-built and should 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.)
Finest-Trying
Birdfy has a number of feeders we advocate. This bamboo one is the perfect wanting, but it surely comes with a little bit of repairs. It would 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 massive bins for both various kinds 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 favor that.
Like many 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 may mount as nicely, so that you by no means have to consider charging the digital camera battery.
As stunning 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 guide states that it must be sealed. Through 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
Finest Good Hummingbird Feeder
Chook Buddy is thought for its user-friendliness and considerate app, and its new Professional Good Hummingbird Feeder is not any exception. All the pieces about its use is intuitive and straightforward. AI identification, 5-MP photographs, HD 2K video with slo-mo, all the pieces 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 together 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 downside—not like different feeders which have weirdly cavernous capacities and/or must be crammed the other 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 assume, as Cornell Lab of Ornithology factors out that the better it’s to scrub a hummingbird feeder, the extra probably you’re to do it typically 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 decide up each chook that visits, which might positively be a bummer while you see one thing attention-grabbing out the window but it surely doesn’t present up within the app. Hopefully that is one thing that may be remedied on subsequent app updates.
Finest-Trying Good Birdhouse
Birdfy’s new Polygon Good Birdhouse (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t the primary sensible birdhouse available on the market, 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 twine to have the ability to cost (although it has a built-in photo voltaic panel, so that you probably 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 chook’s shareable “story,” from meeting of the nest to hatching to fledgling, and eventually “the tip,” when the nest is deserted for the season. Word that the digital camera does emit an audible click on each time it is triggered by motion or the app, and the within is a bit bigger than most birds would naturally gravitate to. Our take a look at home hasn’t had any chook guests but this yr, however a mission director for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch mentioned it ought to solely be a matter of time.
Finest App
Chook Buddy’s latest improve (7/10, WIRED Recommends) appears a lot the identical as its soon-to-be-phased-out authentic 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 received a bigger focus vary, wider discipline of view, and high-fidelity microphone. (A subscription to Premium for $7.50 a month unlocks 2K Extremely with the next video bitrate, permitting for richer colours, sharper pictures, and fewer background noise, but it surely’s completely usable with out this. )
The photographs 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 presently flagged as a ceaselessly returned merchandise on Amazon resulting from 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 favor to go to. (Finches apparently like to go to my yard every single day at 10 am). The Chook Buddy additionally “sleeps” at night time and doesn’t appear to emphasise capturing photographs of individuals, so it would not make a good selection 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 embrace a hanger or common mount for a standard-size pole (not included). For those who stay in an space frequented by squirrels, I extremely advocate abiding by Chook Buddy’s “5-7-9” rule for siting your feeder: 5 toes off the bottom, 7 toes away from timber or buildings, 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 greatest downsides of each Chook Buddys is the infuriatingly small, hinged opening for filling the 4 cups’ value 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 Diet Set ($40), which features a screw-on tray that may variably change 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 likely to shift out of digital camera view to keep away from it. General, this improve over the unique could also be value it for those who plan to reap the benefits of a number of the app’s sharing options, particularly Premium’s capability to share your feeder livestream with others.
Really helpful 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 perfect photograph and video high quality of any chook feeder I’ve examined, bar none. There’s one dual-lens front-facing digital camera (2-MP/1080p vast 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 targeted on a chook. (Word 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 thus far in Pacific Northwest winter climate, is wall-, pole-, or tree-mountable. An auxiliary photo voltaic panel and lifelong AI chook 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 bother with the rodents chewing off the edges 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 ultimately.)
