Photograph: Kat Merck
Kiwibit
Beako 4K Smart Bird Feeder
The birds may or may not be awake yet where you are, but there’s a great deal on the smart bird feeder I would buy with my own money this Prime Day after testing nearly 20 models over the past year for our guide to the Best Smart Bird Feeders.
Many feeders that claim to be squirrel-proof, with various alarms, sloped roofs, and even a microphone where you can yell at them through your phone. (Sorry to the parents at my son’s indoor soccer game last month who witnessed this.) However, many feeders have auxiliary solar panels that allow for only bracket or tree mounting, which makes it difficult to abide by the 5-7-9-rule (5 feet off the ground, 7 feet away from structures, 9 feet below anything overhanging—which is the only prevention that really works).
Kiwibit’s new Beako feeder, however, allows for both the feeder and its solar panel to be pole-mounted, meaning the whole setup can be sited on a pole with a baffle. Not a single squirrel has visited the properly 5-7-9-sited Beako in the month I’ve been testing. It also bears mentioning that the Beako is a pretty darn good camera on its own—8K photos with 4K video resolution, long video times, and AI that’s on par with bigger brands’ like Bird Buddy or Birdfy. It requires a subscription for full storage, as do most bird feeder cameras, but you can still access photos and videos without it, and the Kiwibit app is also pretty user-friendly, showing you any new birds at a glance. I also like that the 1.5-liter seed hopper is removable, and has two sides for different feeds.
