After spending the past twelvemonth investigating 25 astute vertebrate feeders from 10 antithetic brands, galore person impressed me, but nary truthful often and consistently arsenic Birdfy's. It was the archetypal marque connected the marketplace to present AI vertebrate identification, arsenic good arsenic the archetypal to present auxiliary products similar astute nesting boxes, birdbaths (see below), and feeder bodies made from antithetic materials similar wood oregon metal. The products inactive endure the occasional quirk oregon connectivity issue, but each astute feeders do. The Birdfys stay my go-to for gifts and idiosyncratic usage astatine my location owed to their consistency and easiness of use.
If you're looking to bargain 1 this twelvemonth for yourself oregon a loved one, these are the champion prices you'll see, and these are the astir giftable models, astir usable retired of the container without a subscription. (Note that each Birdfy feeders tally connected 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only.)
For Beginners

Photograph: Kat Merck
Photograph: Kat Merck
Birdfy
Rookie Smart Bird Feeder
If you've ne'er dealt with a astute vertebrate feeder before, it tin beryllium intimidating. I cognize aggregate radical who were talented a astute vertebrate feeder past twelvemonth for the holidays and still, successful November 2025, person yet to instrumentality it retired of the box. Apparently they're not alone, due to the fact that there's present a feeder specifically for the reluctant: the Rookie, which looks similar a gravity favored feeder and snaps unneurotic successful 3 elemental pieces with nary tools.
You'll inactive person to complaint the 1080p camera (once a week, arsenic this mentation doesn't travel with a star panel) and calibrate it to the app, but that's it—just popular the camera connected its small broadside stand, capable the effect hopper, connect it to a partition oregon rod with the included hardware, and you're bully to go. Because there's lone a broadside view, you'll get a just magnitude of butt shots from birds who are facing the different way, and enactment that you'll decidedly privation to tract this 1 retired of the mode of squirrels, due to the fact that it's beauteous lightweight and the apical is easy knocked off.
An Enduring Classic
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Courtesy of Birdfy

Courtesy of Birdfy
Photograph: Medea Giordano
Birdfy
Feeder Lite With Solar
There are an atrocious batch of astute feeders connected the market, and nary of them are perfect, but this longtime best-seller is the 1 I consistently urge for its operation of features, usability, app, and price. There are options for a star sheet and either AI by subscription ($5 a month) oregon included, but Amazon's woody is connected the 1 with the by-subscription enactment and star panel. The sheet has to beryllium mounted separately, but successful my experience, it's done rather good astatine keeping the camera charged adjacent erstwhile it's cloudy.
If You're Worried About Squirrel Damage
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Courtesy of Birdfy
Birdfy
Feeder Metal With AI
I haven't yet tested this nonstop exemplary , but I person tested galore integrative feeders that person been chewed by squirrels. If you're funny successful the archetypal Birdfy but are disquieted astir squirrel damage, this is the 1 to get. It uses the aforesaid 1080p camera you'll find connected the broadside of Birdfy's Pro 2 Duo. It besides doesn't request a subscription for AI identification, and it comes with built-in rooftop star panels, truthful you won't person to bring it successful to complaint the camera battery. I've had large luck with Birdfy's star panels connected different models staying charged adjacent during cloudy seasons.
For Top-Tier Photo and Video Quality

Courtesy of Birdfy
Birdfy
Feeder 2 Pro With AI and Solar
This is Birdfy's flagship astute feeder, featuring the highest representation prime of immoderate of the brand's feeder cameras. I tested the 2 Pro Duo, which has 2 cameras; this exemplary lone has the one, but it's the aforesaid arsenic the Duo's main camera, which I tin attest is outstanding. (Though you'll privation to marque definite it's adjacent to a router, arsenic it volition request much bandwidth than a emblematic feeder camera.) It's got 2 lenses—one wide-angle and 1 portrait—and the second volition really way immoderate vertebrate that lands and zoom successful for a person view. The 2K video captures tin besides beryllium played backmost successful dilatory motion, and there's a airy for capturing absorbing happenings astatine night. This mentation doesn't request a subscription, and it comes with a star panel, which volition request to beryllium mounted separately.
A Fun, New Way to Watch Birds

Photograph: Kat Merck
If your giftee already has a astute vertebrate feeder oregon doesn't privation to woody with effect mess, wherefore not acquisition them a astute vertebrate bath? This one's already won an Innovation Award for CES 2026, and contempt immoderate aboriginal transportation issues, I had large amusive investigating it this summer. It captured visits from everything from birds, spiders, and squirrels to a raccoon trying to bargain the pump filter. (He was yet successful.) Note the bath inactive does instrumentality immoderate maintenance, different than refilling—because the reservoir is shallow, it is prone to algae, and the pump does thin to clog with larger debris similar leaves. But I inactive highly urge it arsenic a amusive acquisition for immoderate vertebrate lover; particularly this version, which comes with a matching basal and does not necessitate a subscription for AI identification.
If You'd Rather Not Have Plastic

Courtesy of Birdfy
Birdfy
Bamboo Mini Bird Feeder With Camera
Most astute feeders are made of plastic, and for bully reason—it's durable, resists upwind damage, and is casual to clean. But nary one's going to reason that it looks large successful your yard. I haven't tested this nonstop feeder, but I did trial a similar-looking one, and I was amazed astatine however overmuch classier and much earthy it looked connected my feeder pole. This 1 sports the aforesaid 1080p camera arsenic our favourite archetypal Birdfy, and besides comes with a star sheet for keeping the camera charged (must beryllium mounted separately). There's besides included AI ID, truthful you won't request a subscription. As a bonus, you tin save an other 10 percent by entering our codification WIRED356 (you tin find the spot for a promo codification nether outgo options), which brings the terms down to $136.



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