Odds are, 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 ($199), 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 June 2025: We’ve added a hummingbird feeder from FeatherSnap, Birdfy’s new Bath Pro, and two options from Camojojo Hibird.
Table of Contents
Best Overall
Courtesy of Birdfy
Netvue
Birdfy Plastic Smart Bird Feeder
This cheery blue- or yellow-roofed 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. This is the feeder I bought my elderly parents for Christmas during an Amazon Prime Day sale for its reliability and ease of use, though like Medea, they weren’t overly impressed with the AI. 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.
Photograph: Medea Giordano
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 Connectivity
Photograph: Kat Merck
Camojojo
Hibird 4K HD Smart Bird Feeder With Camera
If your router only allows for 5-GHz Wi-Fi, you may have been feeling you’re missing out on the bird feeder camera craze, as most of the cameras run on 2.4 GHz only. Lucky for you, there’s a feeder that not only runs on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz but is among the most feature-rich and reliable I’ve tested. It’s got a sturdy body, 4K ultra-HD video, 1080p photos, an included 128-GB SD card, and no subscription needed. (Though that may change, Hibird’s rep told me, as the brand’s overhead with research and development is not sustainable.) It’s easy to set up right out of the box, with clear instructions and a generous 1.5-liter feed container that’s simple to fill. The AI is OK, somewhere between Amazon brands and more established companies like Bird Buddy and Birdfy. The app also isn’t the snazziest, and the Chat GPT-like “Dr. Bird” question function is a bit corny, but everything else is extremely well done and the photo and video quality is truly top-tier.