Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo review: two cameras, three angles

Wish you could capture imagery of birds and other skittish critters from afar just like nature documentarians, with videos delivered straight to your mobile phone? Netvue is primarily known for its security cameras. However, its Birdfy range of bird feeders takes this camera technology and applies it to observing hungry birds, not greedy burglars.

I got sent the Netvue Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo – which, as it sounds, features a two-camera set up – at the same time as I was reviewing its Bird Bath Pro. This feeder has a definite advantage. I can get the attention of wildlife much faster with a feeder full of bird seed than I can with a tray full of water.

No wonder its manufacturer is calling the device its ‘smartest’ contraption yet.

My hope is that visitors will be too busy snacking to notice their every nibble is being recorded and transmitted to my phone in real time, by virtue of my having downloaded and installed Birdfy’s dedicated app beforehand.

The only thing bothering me now was whether the constant ‘ping’ of notifications to my phone might prove annoying, or, conversely, fascinating? And would anything visit my high-tech equipped feeder – set up in the dull December weather in the UK – to be caught on camera/s at all?

Specifications

Features

The provided camera pairing, in fact, serves up a trio of views: wide-angle and close-up, plus a side view to satisfy the most curious of nature lovers. Two differing angles on the same visit quickly prove very useful for identification of distinguishing features; if one camera is only recording the back-end of a subject, then in practice the other may show a more recognisable profile.

The main camera purports to offer ‘pro’ quality 2K imagery, tracking birds – or, in my case, occasional mice – as they flit around the feeder in sufficient detail that viewers will be able to observe subtle behavioural patterns, if replaying footage. In practice, it’s certainly the camera that, of the two, provides the clearest and most detailed footage. Plus, if I view the camera’s output in landscape mode, I can adjust the positioning of its lens remotely and in real time. Needless to say, if I’m alerted to a visitor, I can take matters into my own hands, switch to live view setting, and hit ‘record’ rather than waiting for the device to capture the scene automatically and subsequently send me a 20-second video clip.

A further draw is that the system is AI-enabled, with the promise being that it can identify a whopping 6,000+ species of winged wonders. While useful and fun, sometimes this is unintentionally amusing. It identified a visiting mouse as ‘birds’ and labelled me as I was setting up the device as an ‘Eurasian collared dove’. Which is one of the nicest things anyone has said about me in some time.

Setup

Netvue’s Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo bird feeder camera arrived in a box bigger than I was expecting, having initially only viewed it online. It’s of similar size and weight to an adult motorcycle helmet. The provided plastic and metal frame needs to not only support a generous amount of bird seed, but also house its dual cameras – one positioned centrally, the second to one side. Before use, both cameras require charging for up to 10 hours via the provided USB Type-C cables, individually pairing with the pre-installed Birdfy app, and then screwing into place.

Since they’ll be stationed outdoors, it’s reassuring to discover Birdfy’s setup is IP66 rated, meaning the ability to cope with rain and splashes of water.

While there are two print manuals provided in the box – a quick-start guide for initial setup, plus a slightly deeper dive pamphlet – neither aided setup as much as I’d like, lengthening the time required to figure things out. Both manuals are as brief as a set of IKEA assembly instructions. In all, the setup took me around 30 to 40 minutes.

In addition to these two large pepper-pot-shaped cameras – essentially regular Netvue outdoor security cameras – my Birdfy review unit also came with an attachable five-watt solar panel the size of a computer mouse mat, as a way of providing auxiliary power in the field.

Additionally featured in the box are various cables, metal ties, and screws for attaching the entire setup to the trunk of a tree, for which something mightier than a mere sapling will be required – an outer wall or raised pole. A metal mounting bracket slides into place at the back of the helmet-shaped unit, with a detachable tray for the bird feed at the front. Feed can also be poured into plastic side tubes, so there is potentially a fair amount of grain and seed that can be added in one go, which gradually trickles down into the tray, thus saving on having to constantly top the thing up.

I initially struggled to open the upper lid/roof to add feed through the top. The latch that holds it shut proved extremely stiff, with my attempts to loosen it resulting in a visible whitening of the green plastic. I felt I could easily snap it off. Rather than having to bend and weaken a piece of plastic to gain access, the alternative of a slide-up or flip-open latch might be better.

As noted in my intro, the product is designed to operate in conjunction with a free-to-download Birdfy app, available for Android and Apple devices alike. Once activated, this allows for live observation of birds feeding, with short video clips sent to my handset, which is primarily what anyone and everyone will be considering this product for. Alerts and recordings both happen automatically – so once installed, I really can sit back and wait for wildlife to come to me – while those serious about cataloguing visitors can get a monthly recap of all the critters that have feasted at the plastic trough.

Design & Handling

A mix of light green plastic and grey metal, with see-through feeding tubes and an open tray at the front plus fixing bracket at the back, the main housing of the Netvue Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo has been designed to blend in with a natural environment of leaves and foliage, rather than an urban, white-painted brick wall.

The two cameras for mounting centrally and to one side are in matching green, with black faceplates and lens housings, which add an unobtrusive yet stylish, high-tech element. They feel reassuringly weighty in the palm, suggesting quality components. The overall package’s premium(ish) pricing, while not prohibitive, reflects this.

As stated, most of the construction here is hard plastic; undoubtedly, to keep both weight and cost manageable. Like anything made of plastic with elements constantly being opened, shut, or removed for cleaning, there’s the possibility of wear and tear over time – accelerated by being kept outside – or accidentally snapping off if I’m a little too eager in making an adjustment. I ended up applying pressure with both thumbs simultaneously to finally get the upper lid/roof open.

The above being said, some peace of mind is provided via a two-year product warranty from the outset.

Appearance-wise, the Netvue Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo also looks cool sat in my garden – and less intrusive and ungainly than I initially thought a large circular feeder with two cameras and the option of adding a separate solar panel would look. The circular, helmet-like shape that avoids hard angles can be blended in with surrounding foliage, which also provides some cover for anything that might come to feed. A flexible perch can be added to the front of the feeder as something for visitors to get a grip on, other than the feeding tray itself.

Performance

With the Netvue Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo’s ability to capture and record any minor movement in its wide-angle field of view – even if that’s the rustle of a leaf – I quickly accrued a mass of video clips sent to my phone.

Handily, there’s the ability to just as rapidly delete those of no interest, if I can be bothered to scroll through and check each one that seems to show just a static scene. When these clips do reveal some genuine activity that would never have been caught without the use of this device, however, it rapidly repays the investment.

There’s excitement in not knowing what species will visit or what the camera will have caught when the footage is reviewed. That’s really what the major appeal is here.

Obviously, the Birdfy app shows the feed from both cameras, with each individually labelled and shown one above the other, so I’m not getting confused about what I’m looking at. A finger tap on any of the videos – catalogued per day – starts replaying them on my phone, and I can choose to download and/or share the clips as desired. Because the cameras and app can be used 24/7, I was able to capture critters with it that only come out at night – such as the endangered dormouse in the UK. There is a built-in white light to enable such filming, though its use can look a little blinding.

Verdict

The Netvue Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo takes a little while to set up and experiment with, in terms of positioning, but, with the draw to wildlife of a tray full of feed, I found it was less than 24 hours before I got my first visitor. Others report it can take quite a lot longer before you get a visit.

But the point is that the setup works, and the thrill of receiving recorded clips to the Birdfy phone app when something of interest happens in and around the feeder is genuine. Not everyone may need such an elaborate multi-camera setup, and in that respect, it did feel a little like I was being spoiled. But it’s surprising how quickly I got used to it. If you’re a keen wildlife watcher and can justify the outlay, then the Netvue Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo is recommended, albeit with the minor caveats mentioned throughout.