I used the AI PeckPerk bird camera for the first time, and I was amazed by how many different species are visiting my garden

PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera: one-minute review

If you're interested in installing one of the best bird feeder cameras in your garden but don't quite know where to start, the PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera is a great option.

It's not only one of the more affordable options (on sale for $119 / £85 at the time of writing), it also offers superb 2K image quality, live broadcasting, a night vision camera, playback features, a built-in feeder compartment, and a unique perch, plus the option for smart AI bird detection of over 10,000 species if you subscribe to PeckPerk's VIP package.

I hadn't used a bird camera before getting my hands on the PeckPerk, and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy this camera was to set up and operate in just a few minutes. The camera arrived pre-charged and ready to go right out of the box; I just needed to add some bird seed, download the free PeckPerk app to my phone, and connect the camera to Wi-Fi.

The PeckPerk comes with a separate optional solar panel, which makes it easy to keep the camera charged up 24/7 without needing to move it indoors. The package also includes an array of assembly tools, including brackets and screws, offering plenty of options for installing the camera. I initially opted for the belt strap tied around a tree, which I highly recommend starting with if you plan on moving the camera around to test multiple spots in your garden or outdoor space.

It might take a day or two for local birds to find and adjust to your new feeder camera, but once they do, you can sit back and enjoy the different bird species visiting your space and interacting with the camera – and if you subscribe to PeckPerk's VIP features, the app will identify bird species for you. I had no idea that there were so many blue tits in my local area in south-west England, but other frequent visitors caught on the camera included crows, seagulls, pigeons, cats, and even a few foxes at night.

Top tip: set up your bird feeder camera opposite a bird bath if you want to capture the most interaction – I found that birds loved to bathe later in the evening as the sun set.

I didn't have the highest of hopes that I'd get much activity with the PeckPerk bird feeder camera at first, considering that my dog tends to scare off most of the local wildlife, and the sheer size of the feeder stood out like a sore thumb against our smaller tree. But I was pleasantly surprised, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time testing out this camera and spotting all of the different bird species.

The sensors on the PeckPerk are excellent at detecting movement, the setup process is quick and easy, the app offers everything you could need, and it has superb battery life thanks to the included solar panel.

PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera: price and availability

• US$319 / £247 / AU$505
• VIP subscription plan US$36.99 / £29 per year or US$3.99 / £4 per month

The PeckPerk has a pretty high list price of $319 / £247 / AU$505. However, at the time of writing, it perches at the more affordable end of the scale, having been reduced to just $109 / £85 / AU$173 at PeckPerk's website.

That discount suggests that PeckPerk feels it's overpriced this camera, and my opinion it's very much worth the current asking price – though I'd be reluctant to spend anything over $200 on it, unless the camera quality could be boosted to 4K or higher. There's nothing much wrong with the image quality of the PeckPerk, but there's certainly room for improvement to match its high full asking price.

Compared to more premium yet similarly styled options like the Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo ($419.99 / £379.99 / AU$665), the PeckPerk does offer a lot for your money, considering that the Birdfy Feeder is only capable of Full HD resolution, whereas the PeckPerk has a generous UHD 2K output. For a more affordable option than both of these models, check out our review of the FeatherSnap Scout bird feeder camera which costs $179.99 / £159.99 (and the design is great, too).

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PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera: specs

PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera: design

• Bird-friendly IP65 weatherproof design
• Multiple install options supplied
• Made from Recycled Plastics (BPA Free)

The PeckPerk stands out compared to more traditional-style bird cameras thanks to its large and slightly odd acorn-like design, which is necessitated by the camera's size and the large-capacity seed tray surrounding it. You can get the PeckPerk in a beige color, which is the variant that I was sent and which blended in nicely with the bark of our tree, or a more vibrant orange hue, which I'm less of a fan of).

The nature-inspired design of the PekPerk makes it appealing to birds, and it's easy to remove from the mount and clean, too. It's made from recycled plastics and food-grade ABS materials, along with UV-resistant, anti-oxidation materials intended for lasting protection.

Design and aesthetic aside, the PeckPerk is built to be robust and sturdy, with its IP65 rating ensuring that it'll survive outdoors all year round. It arrives fully assembled, minus the perch and solar panel, which are great-quality optional accessories that you can choose to attach or leave out.

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I think the perch is a really nice touch that encourages birds to visit the PeckPerk, and the solar panel works wonderfully (at least in the spring season in the UK) to keep the camera fully charged without the need to bring it indoors to charge via the USB-C port every so often.

The fiddliest part of setting the bird feeder camera up was keeping it in place while strapping it securely to our tree, but this installation option is the best method for getting started with the PeckPerk, as you might decide that you want to change its location at a later time while getting to grips with using it, and this way you can avoid having to unscrew it each time.

PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera: performance

• 2K Infrared night vision or color night vision
• Two-way communication and live broadcast
• Free 7-day looped cloud recording included

The PeckPerk bird feeder is a lot fun to use, and I was impressed by its performance. The unit comprises a single camera with an ultra-wide 165-degree field of view, and makes use of proprietary motion sensors to detect when a bird is visiting.

You can adjust the sensitivity of the motion detectors via the free PeckPerk app, and I found that it worked extremely well at detecting any movement in the garden from several meters away. The Playback feature is excellent, and will instantly record 10-second clips whenever motion is detected to ensure you never miss a moment.

You can view all of the playback events from the day and up to seven days prior via the app, and download or save any video captures to your phone or the in-app album as you please. The best part is that all of this is accessible for free, and not hidden behind a subscription fee or paywall, as you might find with other bird cameras on the market.

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PeckPerk gave me a free trial code to test out the AI services it offers through its VIP subscription plan, but this really didn't hit the mark for me. On several occasions the AI would state that no birds were detected when there was very clearly a bird in the frame, and I would often get notifications that a squirrel was visiting the feeder, but there was nothing to be seen, and no evidence on playback either. I think the PeckPerk bird camera performs just as well on its own, and you really aren't missing anything by not upgrading to the VIP subscription.

I also found it just as easy and sometimes more accurate to use Google's Circle to Search feature on my Samsung phone to identify birds, and after a few weeks of use the only bird that PeckPerk's AI managed to detect and register in the app was a common pigeon.

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While the AI might need some work, the overall performance of the PeckPerk has been wonderful, and it's a breeze to use. I started off by setting the PeckPerk up in my garden, but, as I suspected, no birds arrived after five days of me patiently waiting, adding more seed, and regularly checking the app (this is not fault of the PeckPerk, I should add).

I then moved the camera to my mother-in-law's house a few doors down, where we set the camera up opposite her bird bath. This worked an absolute treat, and within a few hours we were getting blue tits, magpies and blackbirds drinking from the fountain and hesitantly approaching the feeder.

The camera's real-time observation via live streaming through the app is easy to access, making it suitable for users young or old who might not be especially tech savvy. There were a few occasions where it would take a minute or longer for my phone to connect to PeckPerk's live feed, but given that it relies on a stable 2.4GHz network connection, this could be down to poor Wi-Fi coverage where the camera was placed, and not necessarily an issue with the device.

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If you tend to get a lot of wildlife wandering through your garden at night you'll definitely appreciate the PeckPerk's infrared night vision and color night vision options. The camera's playback feature is activated 24/7, so you can check on any nighttime visitors you may have had the next morning – I spotted a few foxes and cats dropping by during the night.

The PeckPerk is equipped with a mic and two-way audio, so you can not only hear the chirps of birds but you can talk through the camera should you wish (though I never found a use for this). There's also an alarm feature via the app which allows the camera to blast a sound scaring away any unwanted guests, animal or otherwise.

I'll finish off by saying that the camera quality of the PeckPerk is more than enough for spotting and detecting birds, though it could definitely be better (especially for the price). This is the first bird feeder camera that I've used, and I have no complaints about its 2K camera quality, other than that the playback feature can sometimes be a bit blink-and-you-miss-it, and I'd like the option to record for longer or watch the footage back at a slower speed.

Should you buy the PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera

• I set it up in multiple areas across two different gardens
• I monitored the feed via the app during both the day and night
• I tested the paid VIP upgrade subscription

I attached the PeckPerk Smart Bird Feeder camera to a tree in my garden to begin with, and it performed just fine, although very few birds made an appearance. After I moved to a more discrete location near a bird bath I saw much more activity, bird and otherwise, which the camera had no issues detecting.

I tested the PeckPerk in the UK during the warmer spring months of April and May, and it withstood several rain showers, though I'd be interested to see how this camera holds up in the colder months when more birds and animals are seeking warmth and shelter.

I used the paid VIP PeckPerk upgrade to test the full capabilities of AI bird detection and registering of species in the app's database.