The Highly-Rated Smart Bird Feeder Walmart Shoppers Are Loving

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

All bird feeders are not created equally. Some smart feeders take pictures when they sense activity nearby — generally, a bird arriving to pick out a favorite snack. Others connect to your Wi-Fi and attempt to identify birds via AI, and even notify you with pictures and videos of all the feeder's visitors. One smart bird feeder that's packed with handy features is the Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder with Camera from Walmart, which retails for just $199.99. The price alone could make this a good entry into the world of smart bird feeders. This feeder has more than 1,100 reviews on the Walmart product page, and ranks a cumulative 4.8 stars out of five possible stars. Out of everyone who ranked this feeder, 90% gave it five stars.

This smart feeder is shaped somewhat like a shed, with a roof that slopes to allow for water runoff. The sides, seed tray, and perch are made of wood, and the front panel of the structure is a window that allows you to see how much seed is left inside. The camera is mounted on the window panel, so you can watch the birds while they eat. A nice touch with this feeder is that its roof-mounted solar panel charges the device, so there's no need to fiddle with cords or take it back inside for recharging. Manual charging is a possibility, though. The product page states that the camera identifies more than 6,000 bird species, though this service requires a subscription of $4.99 per month. It also has HD night vision and a 135-degree wide-angle lens, so you'll be able to see if raccoons or other nocturnal animals stop by for treats after dark. You may even spot an unexpected animal that empties your feeder at night: a flying squirrel.   

Many reviewers noted that the images taken by Birdfy's camera are excellent, and that videos have sound. Quite a few reviewers like the camera, but state their surprise that the wood feeder isn't finished with weather-resistant sealant. Some say that they sealed the wood themselves, while many others kept it natural. One user wrote that squirrels destroyed their feeder. The camera does have a squirrel alarm that can be activated through the phone app when a squirrel is at the feeder, though. Despite visits from squirrels, keeping the feeder full is a simple way to keep birds flocking to your yard.

While many reviewers said the Wi-Fi setup was a breeze, some had a hard time getting the camera to connect to their internet. The Birdfy Smart Feeder only connects to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, so if you have a 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection, you won't be able to use the camera or alarm features. As with any Wi-Fi-enabled device, keeping the feeder within range of a signal is necessary. 

Quite a few folks appreciate the solar charging capabilities of the camera, according to reviews. When figuring out where to put your camera feeder to attract the most birds, note that hanging it in the shade from a tree might block the sunlight the solar panel needs. The feeder comes with a USB-C charging cable to charge the device the first time, or as needed. All in all, more than 1,000 people ranked the feeder with five stars, noting the joy it brings them.  A reviewer named Cooper writes, "We love this bird feeder! Watching the birds has become the best part of our day, and the picture quality is crystal clear. It works perfectly, even better than we imagined."