Bird Buddy reviews and discussion

The feeder is enjoyable to watch, the process where birds and the calls are identified is worthwhile, and the setup, especially the pairing was somewhat difficult.

I have been using Bird Buddy for about a week. Both the free App and the Bird Buddy feeder/identification work very well. The camera takes stunning photos and videos with the ability to save each species to a folder of sorts. Very accurate identification of each species so far. The camera function and identification are driven by Bird Buddy’s on proprietary AI system. The AI system determines when and if a record of a bird visit to the feeder is actually recorded. This seems dependent on how long the bird remains on the feeder and whether the system deems the picture to be a quality pose suitable for a “postcard.” I was disappointed by the relatively few pictures I was receiving even though there was a steady flow of birds to the feeder. I opted to try the “Pro” version for $5.99 per month which allowed me to select the “Frenzy” mode which promised to increase the number of postcards generated by the AI brain. The Pro version works very well and did indeed greatly increase the number of pictures generated. The resolution was also increased to their high definition mode and resulted in really clear pictures. In my experience the Bird Buddy system would be virtually worthless apart from the Pro version. In fact I would argue that the Pro version should be standard when considering the price of the Bird Buddy feeder system. Experienced bird watchers will be somewhat disappointed in the design of the feeding/landing platform which is a flat surface 3-4” wide. Small birds seem not to mind the platform although they do slide around on it when landing, etc. I have yet to have a bird larger than sparrow size visit the feeder, possibly due to the lack of suitable perch. There are Cardinals only a few feet away on another feeder but so far they refuse to visit this one. I will be adding an optional perch when Amazon decides to ship the one I purchased. The basic Bird Buddy feeder includes the ability to visit other Bird Buddy feeders all over the United States and most of the world which is a very worthwhile feature. You can select notifications settings that alert you to visits on feeders from locations of your choosing which lets you view exotic birds that would probably never be seen any other way. Charging the battery in the camera is about as convenient as it could possibly be and connection to home WiFi is equally painless. All in all the Bird Buddy feeder is proving to be a very good addition to my bird feeding arrangements and doesn’t require the use of binoculars for a truly stunning close up view of the birds in my backyard.

It was a bit difficult to get the feeder camera blue tooth paired. The birds can perch on the edge of the feeder and barely be on camera. I have too many pest birds eating the food.

I’ve had a great experience with this feeder. It was easy to set up, the guides are very informative and useful, and the app is very user-friendly and makes it easy to learn about birds! I love that you can also look at other people’s feeders. The pictures are great, and I really like that it takes videos as well.

The product works exactly as I would expect for 1st Gen tech. The camera module is impressive for what it does vs the size it is. Battery life is low if you don't have a solar roof and that should really be an essential add on. With a solar roof, my buddy can last for days on end before it needs recharging. Pairing process on Android is buggy, but has gotten better. Customer support is really good considering the size of the company. I could not be happier with the product, it's durability, and it's ease of care. I will say that if you are not prepared to be a responsible bird feeder by cleaning your feeder, this isn't a product for you. The other thing that people need to understand is that you simply can't place the feeder any old place outside. Wifi has its limits, it can only reach so far from where you have it set up. Walls and other objects will block the signal. The worse your reception at the feeder, the more energy that it takes to stay connected and, thus, the more battery it uses. Customers should test their wifi connection with their phone where they plan on placing the feeder. If the signal is weak you either need a different spot for the feeder or you can move your router. This isn't hard stuff to test, you just need to think ahead before you click buy. In other words, use your brain just a bit. Most of the negative reviews here could be solved or avoided by planning ahead.

When I initially got it as a gift I had a little bit of trouble setting it up but customer service was amazing. They helped me troubleshoot and get it up and running. I love my bird buddy and I look at my postcards every day. The addition of the video and then the sound to the video was amazing. They have only continued to improve with adding the ability to look at birds around the world. I look forward to my hummingbird and bird bath pieces in the spring.

Love this bird feeder! I'm an amateur birder but I get so excited when I have new species visiting my feeder and I'm researching how I can attract other species when the seasons change. The directions are very light so there's a lot you have to figure out through trial and error or watching Youtube videos (which I hate wasting time doing -- just write all of the details out...we want to know!) but once you get into it, you'll likely love it like I do.

Love everything about it - EXCEPT - this item needs a Squirrel defense add-on.

It was a bit of a pain to find the proper mount at first. But one of the mounts at Menards fit perfectly. WiFi setup and assembly were easy. The pictures and video are great, the AI is pretty accurate which has helped me ID a couple new species I didn’t know visited my yard.

You get a close up view of birds and it has correctly identified all birds so far. It's fun to see what activity you have each day Connecting the phone app to the feeder blue tooth was tricky, but got it done

This reminds me of the earliest digital video cameras for clunkiness of software and the excessive amount of beta vibe with the indicator lights; comes with a charger ‘cable’ but no charger block (for $200) and after-mkt purchase of USB-c charger block does not work to charge camera unit. Company is very difficult to reach and this is simply way more trouble than it’s worth. Additionally the ‘design’ of the feeder looks like it was handled by IT guys rather than anyone actually familiar with feeders and how birds’ feet work — the absence of conventional perch space made it so unattractive that birds consistently avoided it despite the same seed as in a nearby feeder and in frigid weather with very high feeding activity. This is a gimmick that is NOT for serious bird feeders and apparently the birds feel the same way.

Absolutely love the Bird Buddy. Set up was al.oat seamless, if you have a hidden network you'll need to unhide it for the device to find. Otherwise, I'm thrilled with the video and photos that I'm getting.

I am very impressed at the battery life so far, and the picture and video quality is amazing. I had some problems connecting to wifi, but after that all has been smooth sailing.

The bird buddy is great way to get to know your local wildlife and to see wildlife throughout the world. I have a solar roof, and it stays more than 90% charged in a location that gets about 4 hours of sunlight a day. The feeder is easy to fill and the camera and speaker produce sharp images and clear sounds. I can hear the chirps and seed cracking! I can save the images and videos I like and I can share them. I can invite 3 friends to view my feeder's camera for free (more than 3 takes a paid membership). Even in rainy and snowy weather, the camera is protected and produces clear images and sounds. I can sign in to feeder's throughout the world for 72 hours at a time. I have never seen birds in Ecuador and Hawaii at a feeder before, but I'm inspired to check on them everyday. The only problem I've had is a very chubby squirrel who I've not been able to deter from a daily visit. He is entertaining though!

Have had for two weeks. Love watching birds up close Easy to set up

I received my bird buddy for Christmas. It has been easy to set up and easy to use. I look at my livestream multiple times a day. The smart feeder works exactly as described. Love it.

Great experience. Love the solar charging feature. It’s a great way to interact with nature!

App could still use more options and features. Overall very easy to use and setup. Informative and great AI identified birds.

The bird buddy is genuinely such a fun product that helps you connect with nature. Even friends and family are so interested to know what I’ve caught on camera. I think this is a great product that helps contribute to growing the general public’s knowledge about wildlife. It’s super easy to use and set up and I love how streamlined their packaging is.

It’s fascinating ! Great way to teach and discover ! Grands from 5-21 they all love it. It’s easy and loads of fun. Thank you!