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An In-depth Product Review of the Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder

Writer's picture: Birds of West CobbBirds of West Cobb

Updated: Jan 7

Netvue Birdfy Camera front of packaging
Netvue Birdfy Feeder packaging, front side view. Part of the in-depth product review by Birds of West Cobb

In this product review of the Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder, we'll take a look at the product build quality, capacity of the feeder, mounting options, claims made on the packaging and most importantly, the image quality that you can expect from this product as well as a few additional items we found interesting. Please note: Birds of West Cobb is not directly affiliated with the Netvue brand, however we will add a product affiliate link to Amazon at the bottom of the blog post in case you wish to purchase one for yourself, for a friend or relative!

Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder packaging - part of a product review from Birds of West Cobb
Netvue Birdfy Packaging side view, part of the in-depth product review by Birds of West Cobb
Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder packaging - part of a product review from Birds of West Cobb
Netvue Birdfy packaging photo, part of the in-depth product review of this bird feeder by Birds of West Cobb

Netvue Birdfy Feeder: What comes in the box?

When first unboxing the Netvue Birdfy feeder, you'll notice several main components as shown in the image below. The main feeder body is the white object on the right side of the image, which has the antenna already installed. Below that in the center, is the roof (light blue dome shaped object). On the left-side of the image there is another blue object inside a bag, which is the feeder perch. You'll also see a couple of mounting options are included as well as a small (in our opinion) black plastic baffle. Finally, there is a small box of hardware as well as the Birdfy assembly guide. With help from the assembly guide, you can have the Netvue feeder up and running in under 15 minutes from the time you take it out of the box!


The Netvue Birdfy packaging does include a mounting bracket which snaps easily into place and allows you to either mount the Birdfy feeder to a wall, a post, or on top of a pole! In addition, it comes with a long Velcro strap which you can use to mount this feeder (temporarily at best) to a tree or a large post. This is what we used when we tested this Netvue feeder. We would not recommend using it long term because when directly mounted to a tree, squirrels and raccoons can easily climb onto the feeder and can quickly damage it with their razor sharp teeth and claws!

Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder packaging, what comes in the box?  Part of a product review from Birds of West Cobb
Unboxing the Netvue Birdfy Feeder and looking at the contents for the first time - part of the in-depth product review by Birds of West Cobb

In the image below, you can see the perch assembly simply slides into place on the front of the feeder, and an included screw that doesn't even require a screw driver binds these together very quickly and easily.

Mounting the bird perch to the Birdfy Feeder is a snap - part of the in-depth product review from Birds of West Cobb
We found the assembly of the Netvue Birdfy Feeder to be a breeze thanks to fairly clear instructions and optional components for various mounting options

Netvue Birdfy Feeder: What DOESN'T Come in the Box?


  • A Micro SD Card is not included with the feeder (A Micro SD card is necessary for capturing images and video playback on the device). We recommend the SanDisk 128gb size SD card to ensure you have ample space on the card for videos, which will consume storage pretty quickly in contrast to images.


  • Bird Seed or other Bird feed is not included. While this may seem obvious to some, perhaps a small baggie of seed like sunflower or safflower would be helpful for some to get started feeding their feathered friends. Interested in our top bird feed picks? Check out our blog on this topic! (mealworms, suet, seeds and more are discussed.)


  • A Feeder Support Pole is not included with your purchase. If you need a solid pole to mount the feeder to, you can also purchase one from your local bird stores like Wild Birds Unlimited or Birdwatcher Supply Co., but if that is not convenient for you, amazon can deliver one of these to you in a day or two!

Netvue Birdfy Feeder: Is Product Assembly Difficult?


We found the Netvue Birdfy feeder to be very simple to assemble, charge and install. The perch installs in seconds to the front of the feeder, the roof snaps into place and then rotates downward which locks it securely to the back side of the feeder. The mounting bracket literally installs with a snap, and gives you flexibility into how you can mount it.


How would you rate the build quality of the Netvue Birdfy Feeder?


We believe the Birdfy feeder is made of a good quality of plastic and acrylic which will hold up to most weather conditions with ease. We had a visit the first night from a sizeable raccoon and the feeder survived with no damage from this visit. (Although we did relocate it afterward for the sake of safety). The battery charged fully in an hour and this also seemed to maintain a decent charge level after several days of use and over 100 visits from our Eastern Bluebirds and American Robins.


Netvue Birdfy Feeder: How much bird seed does this feeder hold?


The Birdfy camera has a "fill capacity" of 1.5L or 50 ounces. To put this in perspective, this is a bit less than half a gallon. The structure of the feeder is solid and can hold this with ease.


Netvue Birdfy Feeder: What is the Image Quality like?

Daytime Image Quality?

Netvue advertises this camera as a 1080p capable device. Having said that, we were a bit underwhelmed with the overall image quality of the camera. Having used a few $35.00 Wyze home security camera in the past, I would say that the camera quality is about equal to this feeder camera. As close as the birds get, they never seem to be as "in focus" as you might have hoped for. We tested in overcast conditions and direct sunlight, at various times of day. It is our opinion that the camera could be better focused at objects (birds, mammals etc.) which are either on the edges of the perch, or closer. Instead, it seems like the whole image is in focus, including the trees, fences and houses in the background, but the birds which are up very, very close to the lens just aren't quite clear enough. Here are a few samples from our camera, at different times of day.

Two male Eastern Bluebirds on a Netvue Birdfy feeder captured in Standard Definition (SD) by default
A pair of male Eastern Bluebirds enjoy fresh dried mealworms on a Netvue Birdfy feeder during our product review. Notice the grainy imagery of the birds in this example

One issue that we encountered was the resolution defaults to "SD" or standard definition. This equates to 720p which is much more grainy and pixelated when compared to 1080p which is advertised. When you are using the mobile app to "Live View" the feeder camera, you'll need to toggle this to "HD" to get the best results. However, if you set this once and then exit the "Live View" mode, your next visit back will require you making this settings change once again. This is a little frustrating but we felt it could still be tolerable enough to keep it. What made it more difficult for us however, was the fact that whenever the motion sensor is triggered and a video is recorded automatically, this video is always going to be recorded in "SD" or standard definition, and we could not find any setting or help documentation that would allow you to set this permanently to "HD" or High Definition. So this means that while HD viewing is possible, it's a bit of a chore to get it to work and it won't work for any of the automatic recordings.

Netvue Birdfy Feeder captures a female Eastern Bluebird in HD mode.  Part of an in-depth review by Birds of West Cobb
A female Eastern Bluebird inspects the new Netvue Birdfy feeder before eating

The images above and below of the female bluebird (above) and the male American Robin (below) were both captured in "HD" or High Definition mode. You can see a pretty significant difference between the quality of images for these compared to the first image of the two male Eastern Bluebirds, but there are some minor color issues (look at the blue sky in the right side of the images) and blurry spots in the field of view (lower-right side of the images).

A male American Robin notices the dried mealworms on the new Netvue Birdfy Feeder
A male American Robin notices the dried mealworm buffet at the new Birdfy Feeder

Night Vision Image Quality?

Netvue also touts this feeder as having "full color night vision" among it's features. In our tests we found that this is only possible to achieve by turning on the small light that is built into the feeder, by using the mobile app, and then the camera can view and record in color (but only in "live view"). The Night Vision quality is pretty poor for the camera in both black and white (default for recording and live view) and only marginally better with the light turned on temporarily. On this topic, the $35.00 Wyze v3 camera would do a much better job, not to mention it has multiple settings for strength of the IR lighting to illuminate things, while the Birdy camera seems to only have one adjustment which doesn't do much for improving the image quality unfortunately.

A raccoon found the Netvue Birdfy camera the first night it was mounted to a tree.  Part of an in-depth product review by Birds of West Cobb
Netvue Birdfy Feeder night vision review from Birds of West Cobb

In the image above, the Netvue Birdy camera alerted me via the mobile app to some motion being captured on the feeder. I opened the app and switched to the live view and noticed first that it was in black & white, and second that you could make out the shape of the creature fairly well but you can almost not see any detail beyond a few long whiskers and the eyeball. Notice that you cannot see a single leaf on the ground below this feeder or any of the nearby trees in the background. Things improved somewhat when I enabled the light, which also allowed the camera to then display the images in color. (But notice "SD" is selected also in the lower portion of the screen).

A nightvision capture of a raccoon on a Netvue Birdfy bird feeder
Night vision on the Netvue Birdfy camera looks better in color, a product review of the Netvue Birdfy feeder

Could you use the Netvue Birdfy camera as a Security Camera also?


Based on the image quality for both the daytime recordings and photographs, as well as the night vision imagery, we would definitely not recommend this bird feeder to be used as a security camera. If the videos or photographs ever made it into court it would be very hard to prove the identity of these persons were accurately captured by this bird feeder camera.

Can the Netvue Birdfy Feeder be powered by Solar or a rechargeable battery?


In our case, we opted for the rechargeable battery (which is built-in to the feeder). The reason for this is because our yard has nearly 50 trees and there is always shade, even in the winter months. Solar cells need direct sunlight to operate properly and provide the built-in battery pack with enough energy. Both are available though and the price is pretty similar, with the model including the solar panel currently only about $20.00 more.

Fill capacity of 1.5L or 52 oz in the Netvue Birdfy Smart Feeder
A look inside the Netvue Birdfy feeder

Who would appreciate a Netvue Birdfy Feeder as a gift?


We can think of a pretty large and diverse group of people that would enjoy learning about the backyard birds and getting a chance to see them up close, but also share recordings with friends and family members. Perhaps you have a mother or father (or both) that enjoy nature and birding, but have trouble identifying those birds that visit. Maybe a classroom or even a church group could make use of one of these and the teacher could use the mobile app to educate the students on some of the local bird species that visit and even migrate through the area. Age ranges could vary significantly but we do feel that this is a gift worth giving to many people in your life.


Who would NOT enjoy receiving a Netvue Birdfy Feeder as a gift? (People who you may NOT want to gift a Netvue Birdfy Feeder to)


While some people may still enjoy receiving a gift of this type, you should also consider the safety of the birds in this equation. If you have a family member that feeds feral cats or has a number of cats visiting their yard, you may want to skip this gift for them. Additionally, people that travel frequently or for extended periods of time may not get much use out of the feeder as it will run out of food in a few days and need to be refilled / recharged consistently for the best results.


Does the Netvue Birdfy Feeder actually deter squirrels or raccoons?


Netvue put a note on their packaging that the Netvue Birdfy feeder can deter squirrels. We read into this a bit further and found what they mean by this, is that you have a 2-way radio feature, as well as an audible alarm/siren and a light, all which can be enabled through the mobile App. None of these are automatic and you'd have to be using the "live view" mode constantly to catch a squirrel in the act, and then turn on the microphone and try to talk them into leaving. This will work for a bit but they will get more and more indifferent to your talking, and eventually overrun your feeder anyway. The best thing you can do is mount this feeder to a proper bird pole with a baffle installed.


Well okay, what about raccoons? Remember the raccoon images we shared above, in the night vision image quality section? We opened the mobile app, turned on the light and turned it off again many times. The raccoon didn't even seem worried. We enabled the microphone and talked to it gently. Then more harshly. Eventually we tried barking like a dog. The raccoon could definitely hear us, and we could hear it chewing. But this did not deter the raccoon in the slightest from the feeder or the dried mealworms we placed inside.


How can I install a Netvue Birdfy Camera to avoid squirrels or raccoons?


Any bird feeder, not limited to the Netvue Birdfy, should be placed at least 6 feet above the ground, and at minimum 6-8 feet from any trees or structures (fences, deck posts, roof overhang etc.) so that squirrels cannot jump onto the feeder. Further, we don't just recommend installing a baffle, we absolutely require it! Okay we can't require you to do anything, but to ensure your feeders get a long life and avoid definite destruction, yes, a baffle and a decent pole are going to come in handy. We recommend a 4"x4" pressure treated post, with a large "raccoon baffle" like this one. We've had ours in place for a couple of years now and zero raccoons or squirrels have made it to the bird food placed above.


Can the Netvue Birdfy Feeder Identify Birds Automatically?


The Netvue Birdfy camera can identify birds automatically, using their software with Ai to quickly alert you to the new species detected. The Netvue Birdfy is one of the two leading brands currently in the market and can identify with relatively high degree of accuracy, over 6,000 species of birds. The average person will only see 30-40 species on their feeders, over the course of months or even years, and this number is strongly based on the type of the bird seed (or other feed) that you put in the feeders. The 6,000 figure is nice to know though, as it could come in handy in many different locations!


Is the Netvue Birdfy Feeder Weatherproof?


The Netvue Birdfy camera is rated IP65 Water Resistant. It includes plastic and acrylic construction mean that it's durable and can withstand wind, rain, snow and wide temperature swings. Are you curious to know what IP65 means, in terms of testing and overall product durability? Here is an article explaining the ins and outs of the IP65 product certification.


Is the Netvue Birdfy Feeder Mobile App helpful?


We tested the Netvue Birdfy mobile app with a Samsung Galaxy series Android smart phone. We found the app to be fairly easy to navigate, make changes to the settings for the camera and make use of the two-way-microphone and additional "live view" settings, and accessing your captured moments, which are basically video clips of all of the visitors to your feeder.


How Far Can the Netvue Birdfy Feeder Camera See?


The main purpose of the Netvue Birdfy feeder is to spot birds that are feasting on seeds or other bird feed while on the perch. This distance is only a matter of several inches, and the details vary based on lighting conditions, shadows, and the "SD" or standard definition version "HD" or high definition settings being adjusted. However, in our feeder view you can see trees and houses in the background several hundred feet away. These are not very detailed, and you can zoom some, but you will not see much clearly from these distant objects when you have zoomed in.


Can I Connect the Netvue Birdfy Feeder to Other Smart Home Devices?


At the time of writing this blog, you cannot connect the Netvue Birdfy feeder to other Smart Home devices like Alexa, Google Home or others.


Is the Netvue Birdfy Feeder Worth the Price?


In terms of value, we do think this bird feeder is a great concept and can provide many hours of entertainment, which can lead to more education and environmental awareness. Assisting people with bird identification has always been challenging, and the Birdfy feeder is certainly on the right track. While we do wish the image quality was a bit better, it does the job quite well and includes a large number of features that you may have paid hundreds or thousands of dollars for just a few years ago. While we probably wouldn't recommend this to a serious wildlife photographer that has thousands of dollars in camera gear, we would certainly recommend it for the hobbyist or the curious family member that wants to learn more about nature, and more specifically wild birds.


To Summarize, this review was specifically written about the Netvue Birdfy 1 Smart Bird Feeder (original model). Our version did not include the Solar Panel for charging, although the camera and other features are the same as the version which includes that component. There are now additional models designed with different feeder styles including a hummingbird feeder model, a nest box model, and also a newer variation called the Netvue Birdfy Pro, which includes a detachable camera which makes things easier for cleaning and which is rated at IP66, but still is only listed at 1080p. If it defaults to SD, and has to be toggled constantly to HD like the Netvue Birdfy 1, we feel a little like this is false advertising. However, the overall build quality, the assistance in identifying backyard birds and capturing images of them up close is still very much worth the purchase cost. Do any of our readers have the Netvue Birdfy Pro models? We'd love to hear your opinion on the comments below! 👇



What are some Common Problems people experience with the Netvue Birdfy Feeder?


We read through many reviews from other people on Amazon and Walmart's websites, and found that a few people experienced issues with battery life (although the number of complaints was quite small) and some users/purchasers struggled to get the WiFi setup completed and needed to open a support ticket with Netvue to get this addressed. Most modern-day routers have options of 2 different channels for the network; 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz. Theoretically, 2.4Ghz is better for transmitting data over longer distances, and this may be the reason Netvue decided to only make their camera connection available via the 2.4Ghz channel. You may want to check your router configuration to see if 2.4Ghz is enabled, or even available, before purchasing and starting the configuration of the device.


Is the Netvue Birdfy Feeder Suitable for Apartment Balconies?


When it comes to installing a bird feeder of any type at a rental property, whether it is a house, condo or apartment, be sure to review your rental lease agreement for specifics that could outline feeding wildlife as it could cause you to be held liable for damage from rodents, additional cleanup fees or lawn damage from the hulls of the seeds decaying in the lawn. Additionally, your landlord could keep your deposit if you violate terms of your rental agreement. With that being said, a Netvue Birdfy feeder could be used if it meets the rental agreement and it could be mounted to pole with baffle down near the ground or on a temporary pole on your deck or balcony. For obvious reasons, you won't want to mount anything permanent that requires screws or nails or bolts, which could damage or weaken the structure.


Thanks for reading our product review of the Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder!

Are you interested in purchasing a Netvue Birdfy Feeder for your friends or family? Follow either of these links to make your purchase on Amazon today: Netvue Birdfy Feeder

or


Thanks for reading and we hope you found our review helpful! -BOWC


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