I tested the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro. It'll change how you see your yard

CNN

26-05-2025

The Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro taps into the best part about bird-watching: It's a hobby that can be enjoyed anytime, in anyplace, by anyone. It doesn't matter if you're sitting at your kitchen table eating lunch, at work taking calls or traveling around the world, this bird feeder, with its upgraded high-resolution camera and accompanying AI-powered app, keeps you constantly connected to the avian visitors of your backyard. Any feathered friend that stops by your feeder is recorded on video and sent to your phone.
It's a nifty gadget whether you're an amateur ornithologist or someone whose experience with animals doesn't go much beyond your pet. But what if you already have one of the best bird feeders attracting finches, sparrows and crows to your backyard? Is swapping that regular feeder for a smart one worth the price of upgrading? And what makes the Bird Buddy, let alone the Bird Buddy Pro, the best smart bird feeder for anyone who wants to know more about the birds in their yard?
Allow me, a serious birder with 10 years of experience and more than 250 species logged, to break it down now that I've had a Bird Buddy Pro posted in my backyard for over a month.
Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro
Thanks to the upgraded camera aboard the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro, which can recognize and ID different species and even individual birds, nature lovers can get up close and personal with every bird in their yard.
Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro Solar
Though you can always purchase the solar roof later on, getting it with the feeder is the best value for what I would consider an essential add-on. Never having to charge the camera means more time to watch birds. It opens your eyes to nature
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Before digging into the specs that make the Bird Buddy Pro one of my favorite devices I've come across in years of product testing, let's explore the overall experience. I'm obsessed with birds — my wife and I vacationed in Costa Rica earlier this year in part to see cool birds — but I admit that, sometimes, I overlook the birds I see every day. The Bird Buddy Pro reminded me that northern cardinals, one of the most common backyard birds in the northeast, are legitimately awe-inspiring. It brought me back to my early days as a birder, when every species I encountered was fascinating and special. I never should have lost sight of that.
The Bird Buddy Pro can give you that same spark, teaching you about birds you probably didn't notice have always been there. Hopefully, you can go from saying, 'Oh, a bird,' to saying, 'Holy smokes, a rose-breasted grosbeak.' Even if you don't become the kind of person who nerds out like I do, being more aware and appreciative of who and what is flying around can be really satisfying.
Then there's the social element. Right now my Bird Buddy Pro is hanging on a pole in my parents' backyard. Being able to call my mom and tell her our feeder finally got our first visitor created a real memory. Texting my family group chat with updates on the latest videos is fun. I can also invite friends to make their own Bird Buddy account to view my findings on their phone. Even though we aren't all under the same roof, having access to the footage of real birds that ate from my feeder is something we can all bond over.
The video quality is absurdly good
Having a camera built into the main housing elevates a smart bird feeder above a standard bird feeder, but the upgrades made to this specific camera are what separate the Bird Buddy Pro from its predecessor. It added 2K video, HDR, a bigger sensor, a longer focus range and a wider field of view. If you don't know cameras, that means pictures and video are brighter, clearer and more immersive than before.
As someone who often lugs around a giant camera and lens to take pictures of birds, I was blown away by the quality of the captures from the tiny Bird Buddy Pro. The little details were visible, like raindrops on a bird's head and imperfections in its beak. I noticed the way individual feathers layer on top of each other and marveled at the different colors of various species' eyes. Even when conditions weren't ideal, like on rainy days or at dusk, the Bird Buddy Pro delivered crisp images.
One male northern cardinal that repeatedly visited my feeder showed the not-so-picturesque side of bird life. He was molting, or replacing old feathers with new ones, revealing bald patches around his head. It might not be the aesthetic you imagine, but these are the things you see when you can get views of a bird from inches away.
The app is fun and informative
The physical bird feeder is only half the story with the Bird Buddy Pro, because the Bird Buddy app is where you access everything the feeder captures. If there were a Spotify Wrapped-like recap of my phone usage at the end of the year, I'm sure Bird Buddy would make the cut. It's a fun platform that combines the virtual scrapbooking of Instagram with the collector's angle of Pokémon Go.
Four tabs provide navigation within the app: home, collection, BBTV and cameras. The home tab is where you see the latest visitors to your feeder. It can be arranged in a curated format or display every single visitor. Users can scroll and swipe through photos and videos, submit feedback on identification, save certain 'postcards' for later viewing — that's what Bird Buddy calls each documentation of a visitor — and learn more about the birds spotted with interactive AI features. Dubbed 'NatureChat,' that last element dishes out fun facts and lets you engage in a question-and-answer session with a chatbot.
The collection tab is your logbook. Any media you liked enough to save will be stowed away here for you to look back on anytime you want. You can sort by species, most frequent visitors or many other criteria. On BBTV, a For You page of Bird Buddy cams from around the world gives you a glimpse at what birds other people are seeing (don't worry, you can keep your footage private in the settings). Finally, the cameras tab is your interface with the device's options, like video quality, and access to a live feed from your Bird Buddy Pro.
Upgrade to the solar roof if you can
The plastic build of the Bird Buddy Pro is basic but well constructed. It's shaped like a small house, where the front wall, rear wall and roof can be removed for easy cleaning. Once pieced together, the camera pops into the front wall, and a small trap door on the rear wall flips down to pour in more seed. That collection of seed fills the inside and overflows into a platform on which birds can perch and feast — and pose for the camera, of course.
Some add-ons can give birds more snacking options too. The 3-in-1 Nutrition Set, for example, lets you place fruits and jellies — favorites of the Baltimore oriole — on a secondary platform. But the extra feature I can't recommend enough is the solar roof. Available on its own or included with the feeder, this roof looks identical to the standard roof but with a solar panel on one side. It plugs into the camera, and as long as you get adequate sunlight, you likely won't need to charge the camera. My feeder has been up for over a month, and I've never noticed the camera's battery below 80%.
AI identification isn't perfect
Bird Buddy's ability to identify birds is part of its charm. It makes the world of birds accessible to users who don't know a black-capped chickadee from a tufted titmouse. But after analyzing every report from my feeder's camera, I noticed more than a few misidentifications. Northern cardinals were the most frequent visitors to my Bird Buddy Pro, yet the app incorrectly labeled some instances as an American robin, tufted titmouse and even the rarer summer tanager. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that notification, but my excitement was for nought.
Part of my testing included leaving a camera next to the feeder to observe visitors from another angle. At one point, a blue jay stopped at the feeder for about eight seconds. Yet, I never got that video from the Bird Buddy Pro's point of view. The app never alerted me to the blue jay's presence. If I hadn't had a secondary camera set up, I never would have known. Part of why I love the Bird Buddy Pro is that it erases the FOMO I have about missing an awesome bird at my feeder, but this mishap planted a seed of doubt in my mind that it's keeping me abreast of every visitor.
Bird identification can be hard, and we can't expect an AI system still in beta testing to get everything right. To Bird Buddy's credit, it's a system that asks for feedback on every ID so it can better learn the difference between right and wrong. My advice: If you're new to bird IDs, check out the Merlin app for extra help. Its image recognition is top-notch.
Most features are paywalled
I generally groan when people complain about a great product existing behind a paywall. So, while I won't belittle Bird Buddy for packaging several features in a paid subscription, I will at least let you know such a restriction exists. The individual plan is $6 per month or $60 per year, while a family plan that grants premium features to guests you virtually invite to your Bird Buddy Pro is $10 monthly or $90 per year.
Some paid-exclusive features include the highest resolution video available, an AI chatbot that teaches users about birds, an alert system that can notify you of sick birds that might spread disease and unlimited cloud storage for your favorite sightings. It's important to note that none of these features are required to enjoy the core of what makes the Bird Buddy Pro so fun; you can still get a ton out of it without paying a cent more than the price of the actual feeder. These extras only enhance the experience.
Some of my CNN Underscored colleagues already loved the original Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder. Testing the Pro model made it clear that a good thing just got better. It's a wicked-fun gadget for anyone with even a basic interest in nature, as it opens your eyes to how many different kinds of birds are flying around your home.
The Bird Buddy Pro is well made and pairs with an app that turns the educational aspect into a gamelike experience, plus it makes maintaining the feeder feel less like a chore and more like an activity. The camera has no business being as good as it is in such a small package, yet it produces sharp, vivid photos and videos every time a bird lands at your feeder.
The all-in price of The Bird Buddy Pro is no small investment. You have to subscribe for the best features and you'll have to stay stocked on birdseed. I still think it's worth it because it has brought me joy daily, letting me passively watch birds even if I'm too busy to spend hours with my binoculars on a trail somewhere. And to me, that kind of around-the-clock access to nature is borderline priceless.
How do I fill the Bird Buddy Pro bird feeder?
How do I fill the Bird Buddy Pro bird feeder?
A small door opens on the back wall of the Bird Buddy Pro to allow easy pouring of birdseed into the feeder. The Bird Buddy Pro also comes with a small cup with which you can scoop and pour your birdseed.
How do I hang up the Bird Buddy Pro bird feeder?
How do I hang up the Bird Buddy Pro bird feeder?
The Bird Buddy Pro can be hung up with the included triangular metal hanger that attaches to its roof. It also comes with a screw-on mount for attaching to poles or platforms.
How often should I clean my Bird Buddy Pro?
How often should I clean my Bird Buddy Pro?
Clean your Bird Buddy Pro at least once a month, though more frequently would be even better. Take the feeder apart and wipe down the plastic parts with soapy water. The brand also recommends a 10% bleach solution to disinfect the feeder. This is important because a sick bird can transmit disease, such as avian flu, to other birds if your feeder isn't regularly cleaned.
CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when applicable to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item.
For this article, associate testing writer Joe Bloss put up a Bird Buddy Pro in his family's backyard and obsessively monitored the Bird Buddy app. Bloss is both an avid birder and an experienced product tester. He has penned CNN Underscored's guide for beginner bird-watchers and tested the best binoculars under $500. His favorite bird is probably the black-and-white warbler, but it's hard to choose just one.