My Smart Bird Feeder Showed Me That Birds Are Absolutely Brutal

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A photo of the Bird Buddy — Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

It’s been one of those weeks where I’ve been quietly toiling away in the lab, getting new gadgets set up for upcoming reviews. One of the latest pieces of kit to come across my desk is the Bird Buddy, a smart bird feeder that dynamically snaps the birds feasting at your outdoor buffet for you, and can even help you identify them. This is not a surveillance tool for the flying-inclined but rather an interactive device for bird lovers and the bird curious.

The Bird Buddy costs $200, so it’s a bit of an investment for the serious hobbyist. The device initially launched in 2020 in a Kickstarter campaign, and although it’s widely available now, there’s a bit of a waitlist as the supply chain catches up to demand. After some waiting of my own, I finally have my review unit. I didn’t want to wait until I was ready with the review to share the joy—and the bird drama—it’s brought me after just a few days of testing. The jury’s still out on whether you should buy one, so wait for my full assessment before getting on that list.

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Bird Buddy will help you meet your backyard’s bird population

A photo from the Bird Buddy — Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

The Bird Buddy is, essentially, a bird feeder with a motion-sensor-activated detachable camera. The camera is 5-MP, with a 720p resolution and 120-degree field of view. You’ll need a strong wifi signal for this to work outside.

Admittedly, I didn’t have an affinity for birding until I met my husband. I didn’t realize how smart they were or why they were essential to the ecosystem until he started feeding the scrub jays in our backyard. Over the years, I learned their quirks and personalities, even though I know nothing of their breeds.

Bird Buddy helps with the breed part, especially for those of us birding noobs, as it attempts to identify the birds it takes photos of. This week, I learned that what I thought was a cute little brown bridge is just a house finch. According to Bird Buddy, this breed can live up to ten years. They like the mealworms we put out in the feeder.

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I think my backyard’s birds like to pose for the camera

This lesser goldfinch seemed to realize they were getting scoped out by the camera. The stance is almost heroic.

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Learn more about the bird drama unfolding in your backyard

This white-crowned sparrow was actually one of the first birds to arrive at the feeder once I got the camera charged and set up. What I didn’t realize is that, later in the day, I would find out this bird has been going through something serious.

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When birds fight

I feel awful for this white-crowned sparrow, who I had no idea was actually missing a chunk of its... cheek? It’s a little gory to look at, and it’s a reminder of how cruel nature is. I’m truly curious to see if the Bird Buddy will reveal any more of the violence that’s taking place in my backyard. What do we think—cat attack or bird fight?

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When birds are bullies

The white-crowned sparrow saga continues. Turns out that it’s a bit of a jerk, so maybe it had the missing cheek coming to it? Later on, the Bird Buddy caught a minute of footage of this bird scaring off a lesser goldfinch so that it could take over the feast. There’s no need to be territorial over the mealworms, even if you are dealing with a gaping wound!

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Bird Buddy teaches you things

Screenshots of the bird buddy — Screenshot: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

Since I’m reviewing this thing, I’ve been digging into the app to see what it can teach me about birds. This week, I learned that the lesser goldfinch comes in two varieties depending on the coast. East Coast birds have black backsides, while West Coast birds have green-hued backs. There are plenty of other little tidbits I’ve learned, too, about each bird breed’s temperament and what kind of food they like. House finches know to eat at my house because they’re known for having impeccable memory. I wonder if they’re going to tell each other there’s a camera watching them now...

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More to come

A photo of the Bird Buddy charging — Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

Right now, I’m charging the Bird Buddy after about three days of clip-making. I’ve yet to see a squirrel climb up and try to grab peanuts from the feeder—I’ve caught them doing that with the other bird feeders in the backyard. Bird Buddy does know to identify them if it happens.

I’ll have a full rundown of this device and whether it’s worth the $200 soon. Stay tuned, and hopefully, there will be more bird drama to come.

My New Smart Bird Feeder Showed Me That Birds Are Absolutely Brutal

My New Smart Bird Feeder Showed Me That Birds Are Absolutely Brutal

I started testing the Bird Buddy. Did you know birds are living their own soap opera?

Bird Buddy will help you meet your backyard’s bird population

Bird Buddy will help you meet your backyard’s bird population

I think my backyard’s birds like to pose for the camera

I think my backyard’s birds like to pose for the camera

Learn more about the bird drama unfolding in your backyard

Learn more about the bird drama unfolding in your backyard

When birds fight

When birds fight

When birds are bullies

When birds are bullies

Bird Buddy teaches you things

Bird Buddy teaches you things

More to come

More to come