Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo Detailed Product Review: Is it Worth the Price for Hummingbird Lovers?
- Birds of West Cobb
- Aug 30
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 12
Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo Detailed Product Review: Is it Worth the Price for Hummingbird Lovers?
If you'd prefer to watch a 4.5 minute video of our review rather than reading everything below, we created this for you on YouTube!
The Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo is one of the newest smart hummingbird feeders on the market, combining backyard birding with modern technology. It was designed to let you watch, record, and even help you identify your hummingbird visitors in real time, it promises to take the feeding experience to a whole new level. But does it really deliver?
After several weeks of hands-on testing in our backyard, we at Birds of West Cobb did find a lot to like about this feeder, along with a few quirks that we think buyers should know before purchasing. Here’s our honest review, with real-world observations you won’t find in the product description from Netvue. Please note: this is not a sponsored or paid review however we do make some affiliate revenue from products sold through our links!
Unboxing the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo
Inside the box you'll find a neatly packaged feeder, with just a tiny bit of assembly required to get this Hum Feeder Duo into action. You get a quick start guide and user manual, a cleaning squeegee, and a smaller box that includes the hanging clip (with a spring-lock which we liked) a USB charging cable, replacement silicone feeder gasket, and a red perch that snaps right into place. Charging only took a couple of hours, and the feeder did have some charge already on it when it was delivered.
First Impressions & Hummingbird Reactions
We were a little surprised to find that the hummingbirds didn’t immediately take to this feeder. But after about a week they began using it—even though we placed it in the same spot that a different feeder they were already visiting pretty frequently. The reason, we think, is the design:
The blossoms are the exact same bright red color as the entire base of the feeder. While red is the right choice for attracting hummingbirds, having no contrast made the nectar ports less noticeable/visible to the hummers. There are three feeding ports in total, but a little more differentiation or realism in the flowers would have helped the birds find them sooner. For the price of this feeder, we feel like metal flower ports or 2-tone colors (red with yellow centers) would have been extremely helpful in guiding these bird to drink sooner. Once they did figure it out, the birds fed normally, and we were able to capture some great close-up footage, take a look at a few of the clips below!
Build Quality & Design
We found that the feeder is well-built overall, and feels durable when you are assembling it or disassembling it for cleaning and refilling. The triple-port design makes it possible for more than one hummingbird to feed at once, and the sleek modern look blends nicely into a backyard setting. One feature we particularly appreciated was the built-in ant moat at the top of the feeder. This helps keep ants out of the nectar—a problem every hummingbird enthusiast is familiar with. The feeder also comes with a spring-clip hanging hook, which kept it stable during summer storms and could also prevent raccoons from pulling it down (although they can still tear it up if they can access it!)
Inside the feeder (beneath the plastic flower feed ports) is a silicone gasket which also prevents bees/yellow-jackets from climbing inside the feeder. They also send you a spare gasket in case yours gets damaged or moldy. That is a nice touch.
Camera & App Performance
The built-in camera is one of the main selling points of this feeder, and for the most part it does its job pretty well. Video is sharp, colors are vibrant, and the overall quality is pretty good for backyard viewing and sharing clips with friends or family members. That said, we did find the colors slightly oversaturated compared to what we see with the naked eye. The red perch appears almost neon pink, when viewed through either camera.
A Couple of Challenges We Faced related to the Cameras
One challenge or design flaw? that we experienced with the other Netvue Birdfy Smart feeder we tested also exists here, with the Hum Feeder Duo: By default the video always sets itself to SD or standard definition. The camera is advertised as being a "2k" camera but says on the packaging that it's 3MP or 3 megapixels. If you are in the settings and toggle the camera to HD (to take advantage of the 2k features) this setting only applies as long as you are live-streaming/recording. Meaning that it won't stay in HD mode if you are out running errands and the camera captured some activity on the feeder. Just SD. The bigger challenge we faced was the motion sensitivity. We had some windy days during testing and nearly every time the wind blew and nearby leaves moved on our salvia, the app sent us alerts that there was “activity” at the feeder—even when no hummingbird was present. Unfortunately, there isn’t an option to adjust the sensitivity levels, which can be frustrating if your feeder is set up near many trees or plants that can move frequently. If you have a flat or stationary background, however, this would be a non-issue for you.
Battery Life & Solar Option
Battery life was solid during our testing, lasting quite a bit longer than the standard Netvue Birdfy feeder we tested a few months ago. The battery charge was still around 50% after a week, it did drop faster if we used the live video stream. Still, we think most buyers will benefit from investing in the solar panel version. With solar, you won’t have to worry about recharging the feeder as often, making it much closer to a “set and forget” setup.
Price Point & Value
The Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo is not what we would consider a "budget feeder". Retail pricing runs $349.99 on Netvue’s website, though we’ve seen it discounted lower than $249.99 during Prime Days on Amazon. Currently, the non-solar version sells for $279.99, while the solar model remains $349.99. For many backyard birders, that’s a premium price. But if you love the idea of capturing videos, sharing moments, and adding a smart element to your birdwatching, it may be worth the investment—especially if you opt for the solar upgrade. Our yard is full of trees and we don't have enough direct sunlight for the Solar option to provide much value, so you may want to keep that in mind before adding unnecessary costs to your purchase!
A Note about Hummingbird Species Recognition
In Western states (considered to be those located West of the Mississippi River) there are multiple hummingbird species and this Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo could provide some additional value in helping track when less-frequently seen hummers have made a visit to your feeder, and you may not be around to see it in person. The Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo claims that it can recognize 150+ hummingbird species! That's really incredible, but let's be honest here: East of the Mississippi River, there is a 99.99% chance that you'll only ever see one species - the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. So this is largely a marketing feature for many of us! However, it's possible with these Smart Feeders that you could capture the very moment a rare, migratory visitor stops by for a drink - and we think that's pretty darn cool!
Tips for New Hummingbird Feeder Owners
Even with smart features, it’s important to remember that all hummingbird feeders require proper maintenance. Nectar should be changed every 2–5 days, depending on outside temperatures, to keep the nectar fresh, clean and safe for the birds.
Pests can also be a concern. Here are a few tips we’ve found helpful:
Raccoons: Place feeders high enough and away from railings so raccoons can’t reach them. The Birdfy Duo’s clip design helps here. Alternatively, you can bring the feeders inside the house each night (this is what we do!)
Ants: Always use the ant moat and refresh it with water regularly.
Bees/Wasps: Avoid placing feeders near bright flowers where insects are already active.
⚠️ Note for Apartment Renters: The Lease agreements for many rental properties prohibit bird feeders because they can attract rodents. However, hummingbird feeders are often treated as exceptions since they use nectar instead of seeds and it's pretty unlikely that you'll create a mess or attract rodents. Still, it’s important to check with your property manager or review your lease before installing one on a balcony or porch.
Who This Feeder Makes a Great Gift For
The Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo isn’t just a hummingbird feeder—it’s an experience. We think it makes a great gift for:
Birdwatching enthusiasts who want to capture close-up photos and videos of hummingbirds
Families with kids, offering an engaging, educational way to connect with nature
Elderly bird lovers who may not be able to spend as much time outside but still want to enjoy hummingbirds daily
Tech-savvy nature lovers who enjoy combining smart gadgets with backyard wildlife watching
Who This Feeder Might Not be a Great Purchase For
For some of us backyard birders, it's somewhat more enjoyable to go outside with a camera in-hand and manually shoot photos. This allows us to compensate for lighting conditions, shoot with varying levels of zoom, capture images from different angles and capture action around the feeders as well as on them. An example of this: we have several feeders and plates of food that we fill each day. Birds often perch on any available objects while they wait in line for food in these plates, sometimes they land on top of the smart feeders. You'd never know they were there, unless you were standing there physically or maybe looking through a window. Smart feeders only capture what is directly in front of the camera lens. So if someone in your family is a die-hard wildlife photographer, this may not be the greatest gift idea, since these people prefer the hands-on, creative approach to things.
Final Thoughts
The Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo is one of the most innovative hummingbird feeders available today. It combines solid build quality with smart features, but it does come with a few quirks—like overly-sensitive motion alerts and a design that may confuse birds at first, although they did warm up to it after the initial confusion period. For those willing to spend a bit more, the solar panel upgrade is well worth the price, eliminating the need for frequent recharging as long as you have direct sunlight. With proper placement and routine upkeep, this feeder can bring countless hours of enjoyment and some truly stunning video of your backyard hummingbirds.
👉 Shop the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo on Amazon here
👉 Or, shop for the Solar version here
Additional accessories for your Hummingbird Feeder Installation:
Deck railing mounted feeder hanger
Adjustable deck-mounted feeder hangers are easy to install and adjust! Flower sun shade for your hummingbird feeders (They come in multiple colors!)
More Hummingbird Resources for Education:
As always, thanks for reading!
—BOWC (Lisa & Dan)