Even if you have a number of bird feeders set up around your yard, you might not always have the time to sit and watch the visiting birds. Therefore, setting up a camera near your bird feeders allows you to capture all the action that you would otherwise miss.
In a rush? Here’s our top 3.
Table could not be displayed.Whether you select a trail camera, a camera capable of time lapse photography or one that feeds real-time video to your home computer or smart phone is up to you.
However, you want to ensure that you purchase a camera that has good image and video resolution to give you nice, clear images and great video recordings.
To help with your selection, we’ve researched a number of cameras and have selected 5 of the best for you to consider.
Contents
Our 5 Recommended Bird Feeder Cameras
1. APEMAN Mini H40 Trail Camera
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The Apeman mini trail camera is highly portable and small enough to be easily concealed near your bird feeder. It’s designed to take photos and shoot videos without disturbing the little birds while they’re feeding.
The photo quality is 16 mega pixels and video quality is 1080P. This ensures that you get nice, clear photos while the camera is recording. Plus, it has a lightning fast trigger speed of 0.4 seconds. This means you won’t miss a second of recording when there’s lots of activity around your feeder.
The camera is also equipped to shoot at night with low glow LEDs. This allows you to check whether any other animals are visiting your feeders while the hummingbirds are asleep.
This is a great little camera to keep an eye on your bird feeders and it’s easy to set up. Plus, it’s very power conservative too.
- 16mp photo quality & 1080P video quality
- Time lapse function
- Inbuilt timer
- Continuous shooting function
- Uses only 4 x AA batteries and you can use rechargeable ones
- Comes complete with a 16gb TF card
- The motion sensor may not trigger past 35 feet
- The instructions can be a little difficult to understand
2. Birdhouse Spy Cam Hawk Eye High Definition Camera
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This tiny spy cam measures only 1.75 inches x 1.75 inches x 1 inch. Therefore, it’s super easy to conceal very close to your bird feeders. It has an in-built microphone so you can capture sound as well as movement.
It comes with two 50 foot detachable power cables so that you can plug it directly into your TV or computer. If you have a home security monitor, it may plug into that as well. That way you can record the activity and watch the playback.
The night vision on this camera is excellent as it uses 10 infrared LEDs. And don’t worry, the infrared won’t disturb the birds because they can’t actually see it.
- Powerful night vision camera
- Small enough to be easily concealed
- Captures sound as well as movement
- This camera does not record video. You have to plug it into a TV or computer to see and hear live what the camera is seeing. However, with appropriate apps, you can create your own recordings.
- The camera is not waterproof so needs to be protected from inclement weather.
3. Moultrie Wingscapes TimelapseCam Pro
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This is a rugged time lapse camera that captures images at regular intervals. You can then turn these images into a video by using downloadable software. It features a high-resolution lens with variable focus.
The case is weatherproof and lockable. This means you can safely leave it outside even in bad weather and it will still record. You have the choice of 4 resolution settings from low (2115 x 1188p) to high (6080 x 3420p). This allows you to capture 1080P HD videos in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
The camera comes with standard quarter inch tripod mounts. These are compatible with the included mounting bracket.
- The flash is equipped with 24 white LEDs that can capture movement up to 25 feet away
- Compatible with the Moultrie mobile wireless modem Mv1
- Works with SD/SDHC class 4 memory cards or higher.
- Uses eight AA batteries that will last approximately 6 months
- This camera does not have a motion sensor. Instead, it takes continuous time lapse images.
- It can be difficult to get the focus just right
4. Campark Mini Trail Camera
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This waterproof mini trail camera can capture 16mp quality photos and 1080P high-definition videos. It’s tiny and only measures 6 x 4.25 x 3.5 inches. This means that it’s easily concealable near your bird feeders.
The motion sensor can detect movement up to 65 feet away so it’s fairly powerful. Plus, the camera is easily mountable with the included mounting rope and screws.
The camera also has super night vision with the infrared LEDs and the 120 degree wide angle lens.
- Has a 2 inch LCD monitor to preview photos and videos
- Produces clear images and videos
- Features a 120 degree wide angle lens
- IP56 waterproof so the camera will operate even in inclement weather
- Easy to install with the mounting belt or a tripod
- Can be hooked up to your computer via the included USB cable
- You need to purchase an SD card separately
- Night time photos may not be as clear as the video
5. Cooau WiFi Trail Camera
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This waterproof trail camera is WiFi enabled and can be connected to your phone when you download the Hunting Cam Pro app. This means that you can set the camera controls remotely and also receive images and videos to your phone. It works with both Android and iOS.
The camera captures high-definition images up to 24mp and videos up to 1296P. It has a 120 degree detection angle. Plus, the no-glow infrared LEDs will capture clear night time images and videos.
- You can view real-time images and videos on your phone when you download the app
- Camera has 3 shooting modes – Photo+Video, just Photo or just Video
- Also captures sound that you can hear in real-time
- The trigger time is only 0.2 seconds so you won’t miss a thing
- Easy to set up and mount
- You have to purchase an SD card separately to record the photos and videos
- You have to be within WiFi range of the camera to view the real-time action
Buying Guide
After reading our reviews of the 5 best bird feeder cameras, you now have an idea of the type of cameras that are available. To help you even further, here are the most important features that you should consider when choosing which camera is best for you.
Image And Video Resolution
When capturing images and videos, you want the clearest resolution that you can get. There’s nothing worse than setting up your camera and not being able to clearly see what it has recorded.
As a minimum, you want a camera that will record at least 16mp of photo quality and 1080P of video quality. However, the higher the image resolution, the better your resulting photos and videos will be.
Good Night Vision Capability
Although this is not necessary for viewing the birds visiting your feeders, it is helpful if you find that nectar and seed disappears overnight. If you set the camera up to record overnight, you’ll be able to see exactly what critters are coming to your feeders for a free meal.
Water Proofing
Obviously, if your camera is going to be outside, you want to ensure that it’s waterproof and can withstand whatever weather conditions are thrown at it.
Good Audio Playback
There’s nothing quite like listening to the hum of a hummingbird and you want to be able to capture this audio and ensure that the playback sound is nice and crisp.
Adequate Motion Detection
Most motion detection cameras will only start recording when they sense movement. So, in order to capture all visitors to your feeders, you need to ensure that the motion detection range is adequate in relation to the placement of your camera and your feeders.
WiFi Capable
If you want to see real-time videos of your feeders on your smart phone, you need a camera that is WiFi capable. Not all cameras in our reviews are, as most of them rely on SD card storage.
Ease Of Mounting The Camera
Mounting your camera near your bird feeders can pose problems if you don’t have trees or other suitable structures nearby. Therefore, you need to think about how the camera is mounted and whether it needs a separate structure or can be used with a tripod.
Camera Mounting Tips
Once you’ve selected the right camera for your needs, you’ll need to figure out the best way to mount it near your feeders. Remember to angle the camera away from the sun so that you don’t get too much glare in your photos or videos.
Here are some tips for mounting your camera.
Use A Tripod
Most cameras can be mounted onto a tripod and this is a great solution if you don’t have a suitable structure near your feeders to mount the camera on. A tripod can be placed almost anywhere and you can easily move it if you want to. This allows you to capture activity at your feeders from all angles.
The only problem with this type of setup is that if you have other animals visiting your yard during the night, they could easily knock the tripod over if it’s not secured well enough.
Use A Tree Strap
Most trail cameras come complete with a tree strap. This can be used to secure your camera onto a tree that is near your feeders. This is also a nice, secure way to mount your camera. It will ensure that your camera stays in place and is not knocked over or dislodged by other visitors to your yard.
The only downside with this setup is that you may have your feeders in an open area of your yard and so there are no suitable trees nearby. To get around this you could install a mounting pole near your feeders that you attach your camera to.
Use A Mounting Bracket
A mounting bracket is a little more secure than a tree strap and can also be used to mount your camera on a pole or other nearby structure. This even allows you to place your camera on a fence or the wall of your house.
The only disadvantage to this type of mount is that it takes a little more effort to install the camera and it’s not as easily moved if you feel the need to.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do photographers attract birds?
Both professional photographers and hobbyists generally use a food source of some kind to attract the birds that they want to photograph. This could be in the form of a bird feeder, a seed tray or even pollen producing plants.
What is the best time of day to photograph birds?
The best times are early morning or late afternoon as the light is the most optimum for good photography.
What hours are birds most active?
This, of course, depends on the bird species. A lot of birds are very active in the early morning. But, if you want to capture nocturnal birds, then around dusk is the best time.
Final Thoughts
We hope that our reviews of the best bird feeder cameras have been useful to you. The most important points to consider when selection a good camera are image and video resolution, good night time motion detection, good audio and easy mounting options.
And, unless you mount your camera inside a structure such as a nesting box, you want to ensure that it’s waterproof so that it still works perfectly fine in inclement weather conditions.
Do you have a camera mounted near your bird feeders? Please feel free to share your experiences with us in the comments below.
