Birdbuddy's new smart bird feeder can identify birds by their songs at CES 2026

Birdbuddy's new smart bird feeder can ID birds by their songs

I'm seeing a ton of smart bird feeders again this year at CES -- and I'm inexplicably drawn to them. Perhaps because the idea of birds nibbling on seeds and flying away represents a natural purity and freedom that doesn't exist within the halls of CES. Birdbuddy was one of the first smart bird feeder brands, with a wildly successful Kickstarter back in 2020. And this year, they've added birdsong to their species identification capabilities. Two new feeders, the Birdbuddy 2 and the Birdbuddy 2 Mini both have the new feature, but the latter is a more affordable, starter version. The Bird Buddy 2 is solar-powered with built-in panels. It's slightly larger and has a bigger seed capacity, too. Both have HD cameras you can manually position either vertically or horizontally and both have a mic to help with birdsong IDs. Upgrades to the cameras include a faster wake-up time when a bird lands and the housing for the seed and camera has a more modular design that makes the feeder easier to clean. The lens is now protected by Gorilla Glass, which may seem excessive, but Rhian Humphries, Birdbuddy's senior PR manager, said curious birds often peck at the camera looking for more food. The AI Birdbuddy uses was trained on real bird visits and at the end of each day, you'll get a "postcard," a curated look at the birds that visited your feeder that day. Of course, the app can also alert you each time you have a feathered customer in your yard so you can tune into nature's live feed and soothe your soul for a few. The Birdbuddy 2 goes for $199. It sold out during the pre-order phase, and those units will ship in February, but more will be available in mid 2026. The Birdbuddy 2 Mini costs $129 with pre-orders opening in summer.

Birdbuddy unveils its most affordable 'mini' bird feeder camera -- and it can identify birds by their song

The 2 Mini is Birdbuddy's smallest and most affordable bird feeder camera to date Birdbuddy is a leading name in bird feeder cameras, and it has just unveiled its latest model at CES 2026 - the Birdbuddy 2 Mini. The 2 Mini has the same core specs as the Birdbuddy 2, which was announced last year (and which we are currently testing), including an upgraded camera with 2K video in horizontal or vertical format, slow motion recording, plus smart AI bird detection that's now based on visual and audio cues. That's right, Birdbuddy can identify birdsong. Where the two latest generation of smart bird feeder cameras differ is in design. As its name suggests, the new 2 Mini has a smaller form factor and seed capacity, while it's powered by a (rechargeable) internal battery only - the Birdbuddy 2 has built-in solar panels for continuous power. There is an optional solar panel for the 2 Mini, but that does add to the cost. Even with its simpler design, the 2 Mini could even be a better option than the flagship model thanks to its smaller housing - I'm thinking for tight spaces, apartments and balconies. It's also Birdbuddy's most affordable bird feeder camera to date, being around 35% cheaper than the Birdbuddy 2. The Birdbuddy 2 Mini costs $129 (compared to $199 for the Birdbuddy 2), and pre-orders are expected to open mid-2026 and shipped later on this year (UK and Australia pricing TBC). The sold-out pre-orders for the Birdbuddy 2 from last year are set to be shipped next month. I've tested some of the best bird feeder cameras, and can testify just how enjoyable these gadgets are. Like most bird feeder cameras, Birdbuddy's latest models activate when birds are detected by motion sensing, but they up the game by adding audio cues to give you a remote live feed of the birdlife visiting the feeder. Whether you're miles away or in your front room, seeing the visiting birds in your backyard in real time, with the option to record 2K video is a novelty that doesn't wear off - especially with smart bird detection skills helping you identify any species you're unfamiliar with. And I love the idea of the Birdbuddy 2 Mini - being a smaller and affordable package that brings this delightful experience to more people. Birdbuddy certainly ranks among the best in this space, and I'm looking forward to seeing how far it has been able to improve the experience with its second generation of bird feeder cameras. It says the new cameras wake up faster than the first generation models, and feature Gorilla Glass-protected lenses and upgraded built-in mics.