Odds are, at this level you’ve in all probability seen or know somebody who has a wise chicken feeder. They’re pretty recognizable from a distance with their clear housing, cameras, and photo voltaic panels, and maybe a pal 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 these items are actually well worth the $100-plus price ticket. Are they really sturdy? And what in regards to the squirrel drawback?
Fortunate for you we’ve been testing the most well-liked good chicken feeder fashions, together with Netvue’s authentic Birdfy feeder ($135) and Fowl 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 Could 2025 : We added Birdfy’s Polygon good birdhouse and Fowl Buddy’s Professional hummingbird feeder as picks; a hummingbird feeder from Harymor, seed feeders from Sehmua, IsYoung, and PeckPerk; and a brand new evaluate 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 instantly on the home or on a fence with the included bracket mounts, or hung from a shepherd’s hook.
After setup, we stuffed them with chicken 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 usually we obtained notifications and noting whether or not they’re precisely selecting up simply birds or any sort of out of doors motion, and the way effectively they’re capable of distinguish chicken species. We disassembled and cleaned them, returning them to their mounts after. We take a look at every one for 2 weeks at minimal, however normally for over a month.
Suggestions for a Higher Fowl Feeder Expertise
- Preserve feeders tremendous clear. The very last thing you need to do to your feathered visitors is make them sick from consuming moldy seeds or unfold avian ailments. Each two weeks, scrub feeders with heat, soapy water after which both soak them in a single half bleach to 9 components water or one half white vinegar to 1 half water—each strategies are beneficial by Audubon. Rinse and dry totally earlier than including extra seed (you don’t need bleach residue both). Control chicken flu outbreaks and take note of what the birds appear to be at your individual feeders. When you suspect one thing, you will need to take away the feeder till issues look higher.
- Solely get a hummingbird feeder for those who’re devoted to conserving it spotless. You’ll want to be much more diligent about cleanliness right here. You’ll want to clear a hummingbird feeder each two to 3 days. Nectar sitting within the solar harbors micro organism progress shortly, which may trigger hummingbird tongues to swell and nearly at all times ends of their demise. Crimson attracts these birds, however do not use purple nectar. There aren’t any research conclusively proving that dye harms birds, however at greatest it is pointless and at worst would possibly make them sick. As a substitute, go for feeders with purple items to get their consideration or keep on with planting hummingbird-friendly flowers and skip the feeder altogether.
- Add a water supply too. Birds want clear water for ingesting and bathing, so you may make your yard extra of an oasis by offering it. The identical cleansing method outlined above goes for baths. You too can think about including common chicken homes for birds to nest.
- Give birds time. You doubtless will not see birds at your feeder day one. Give them time to search out it and belief it. If after a couple of weeks you continue to do not have guests, it could be time to reevaluate what sort of chicken seeds you are utilizing or the place you have positioned it.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
As is the case with any chicken feeder, squirrels like to eat at good chicken feeders, which aren’t squirrel-proof, no matter advertising and marketing claims. Nonetheless, a lot of the good feeders we’ve examined are simply as sturdy, if not in some circumstances sturdier, than analog chicken feeders. If the feeder is hanging, the worst that can 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 sides, and masking up the digital camera with its fuzzy butt.
The yard the place I take a look at good feeders year-round is awful with the big and chronic rodents, and the squirrel harm I’ve sustained on take a look at feeders has been minor. With the Birdfy Professional Duo, beneath, the animals chewed off the sides 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 chicken feeder—not less than 5 ft off the bottom, not less than 7 ft away from any buildings, and not less than 9 ft away from something a squirrel might leap from (branches, fences, roofs).
An alternative 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. An alternative choice is utilizing seed handled with capsaicin, or scorching pepper. Birds don’t have capsaicin receptors like mammals do, in order 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 might at all times simply study to reside 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 realm.
What Are We Testing Subsequent?
Finest Total
This cheery blue and white feeder, from safety firm Netvue, is the primary good feeder former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano examined, again in 2022. At the moment she gave it a 6/10 score 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 beneath), and this feeder may be very usually on sale for $200 or much less. When you pay $20 extra, you get a lifetime subscription of AI identification, which is a strong deal. With out it, it will price you $5 a month. Medea examined each this and the Birdfy bamboo feeder (beneath) and located the AI recognition did not at all times establish birds appropriately. That is the feeder I purchased my mother and father for Christmas throughout an Amazon Prime Day sale, and so they’ve had the same expertise. That mentioned, I’ve examined feeders from a number of manufacturers and, given the huge 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 usually than it does 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. When you’re hoping for a bird-feeder/security-camera hybrid, although, this could possibly be precisely what you need—particularly because it gives coloration evening imaginative and prescient. The IP65 plastic development additionally makes this feeder sturdy and simpler to wash, and the 50-ounce seed reservoir is way simpler to fill than the Fowl Buddy with its handy flip-up prime. Not all bundles include a photo voltaic panel, however you may purchase it individually. Not like different feeders, the photo voltaic panel just isn’t in-built and must 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 suggest. This bamboo one is one of the best trying, however it comes with a little bit of maintenance. It does not have plastic components like the remainder of the feeders on this checklist, and with its black and pure wooden hues, it seems to be 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, nevertheless. The FeatherSnap feeder beneath makes use of separate bins and trays for those who desire that.
Like a lot 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 you can mount as effectively, 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 score of IP65 and that it is mold- and rot-resistant. Nonetheless, the person handbook states that it must be sealed. By way of Reddit, Birdfy recommends sealing utilizing a bird-safe wooden sealer. I can not remark instantly 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
Fowl Buddy is understood for its user-friendliness and considerate app, and its new Professional Good Hummingbird Feeder isn’t any exception. The whole lot about its use is intuitive and straightforward. AI identification, 5-MP pictures, HD 2K video with slo-mo, the whole lot 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 along with your telephone is a cinch, integrating it into the Fowl Buddy app with different feeders is a snap, and even filling it’s no drawback—in contrast to different feeders which have weirdly cavernous capacities and/or must be stuffed the other way up, the Fowl Buddy’s backside screws off and holds an inexpensive 1.75 cups of liquid. That is extra essential than you’d suppose, as Cornell Lab of Ornithology factors out that the better it’s to wash a hummingbird feeder, the extra doubtless you might be to do it usually and effectively.
{Photograph}: Kat Merck
It additionally comes with additional plastic flowers and a brush, and the app sends reminders as to when it is time to clear. As with the Fowl Buddy Professional seed feeder (7/10, WIRED Recommends), the sensor doesn’t at all times decide up each chicken that visits, which may positively be a bummer once you see one thing fascinating out the window however it 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 good birdhouse available on the market, however it’s the most interesting-looking. The parallelogram-esque, turquoise-paneled form gained 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 gear is situated in an easy-to-open rear hatch, and there’s even a distant management on the finish of a 10-foot wire to have the ability to cost (although it has a built-in photo voltaic panel, so that you doubtless gained’t have to) 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 chicken’s shareable “story,” from meeting of the nest to hatching to fledgling, and eventually “the top,” when the nest is deserted for the season. Observe that the digital camera does emit an audible click on each time it is triggered by motion or the app, and the within is somewhat bigger than most birds would naturally gravitate to. Our take a look at home hasn’t had any chicken guests but this 12 months, however a challenge director for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch mentioned it ought to solely be a matter of time.
Finest App
Fowl Buddy’s latest improve (7/10, WIRED Recommends) seems to be 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 robust in my yard for over 4 months now. Along with having a visibly bigger, extra superior lens, the digital camera’s now obtained a bigger focus vary, wider subject of view, and high-fidelity microphone. (A subscription to Premium for $7.50 a month unlocks 2K Extremely with a better video bitrate, permitting for richer colours, sharper photos, and fewer background noise, however it’s completely usable with out this. )
The pictures 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 at present flagged as a often returned merchandise on Amazon as a consequence of 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 desire to go to. (Finches apparently like to go to my yard on daily basis at 10 am). The Fowl Buddy additionally “sleeps” at evening and doesn’t appear to emphasise capturing pictures of individuals, so it would not make a good selection to double as a safety digital camera. Each Fowl 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). When you reside in an space frequented by squirrels, I extremely suggest abiding by Fowl Buddy’s “5-7-9” rule for siting your feeder: 5 ft off the bottom, 7 ft away from timber or buildings, and 9 ft of clearance above it. Squirrels have not proven curiosity in chewing my Fowl Buddy Professional, which is hanging from a shepherd’s hook close to a tree, however they may swing on it, spilling a lot of the seed.
One of many greatest downsides of each Fowl Buddys is the infuriatingly small, hinged opening for filling the 4 cups’ price of seed. The feeder comes with its personal spouted cup, however I’ve but to fill the feeder with out making an infinite mess. I even have the 3-in-1 Diet Set ($40), which features a screw-on tray that may variably turn 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. Total, this improve over the unique could also be price it for those who plan to reap the benefits of a few of the app’s sharing options, particularly Premium’s capacity to share your feeder livestream with others.
Advisable With Reservations
Birdfy’s flagship improve for 2025, winner of this 12 months’s CES Innovation Award and an American Good Design Gold Award, has one of the best photograph and video high quality of any chicken feeder I’ve examined, bar none. There’s one dual-lens front-facing digital camera (2-MP/1080p huge angle and 3-MP/2K portrait) and one 2-MP/1080p facet 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 chicken. (Observe that there is additionally a less expensive, single-camera model of the Feeder 2 that we’ve not examined.) The feeder’s IP66-rated plastic physique, which has held up very effectively to this point in Pacific Northwest winter climate, is wall-, pole-, or tree-mountable. An auxiliary photo voltaic panel and lifelong AI chicken 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 effectively, as this feeder appears to be a magnet for squirrels who wish to chew on it and steal the seed. I had fixed hassle with the rodents chewing off the perimeters and compartment dividers throughout my two months of testing. (I had marginal success mixing Audubon Wild Fowl Meals with habanero-based Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Sauce, $16, however the squirrels did come again finally.)
