Now that it’s summer, you’re likely seeing plenty of birds around, raising their newly hatched young and enjoying the proliferation of flowers, bugs, and fruit. This is the perfect time to meet them via a bird feeder with a built-in camera, but which one should you choose? There are thousands of models on Amazon, many of which look enticingly inexpensive, but keep in mind you’re not just buying a bird feeder with a camera stuffed into it; you’re buying the whole user experience—is there a subscription? What is the app like? How long will it be supported? How easy is it to fill and mount? How will you charge it?
I have been testing smart bird feeders year-round for nearly two years for WIRED—dozens of models, in rain, heat, and wind—and at this point I have a pretty good bead on which brands and models are worth the money, and which ones are not. Below are some of my favorites, at some of the lowest prices I’ve seen them.
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Formerly known as the Beako, this feeder from Kiwibit has been tweaked and refined over the past couple of years to become one of the most user-friendly feeders on the market, with high-quality 8 MP photos, 4K HD video, and a built-in solar roof that works well even on cloudy days. The 1.5-liter seed hopper has two sides to accommodate two different types of feed if you so desire, and the thick, sturdy body (no paper-thin plastic here!) is easy to fill, clean, and install. I also appreciate that it’s fully usable out of the box without a subscription (as it should be at this price point), though you’ll still need to spring for one if you want longer storage and video recording.