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Tag: bird feeders

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

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    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.

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    Amy Skorheim

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  • DEC warns of attracting bears waking this spring

    DEC warns of attracting bears waking this spring

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    DELMAR, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) says after hibernating through the winter, bears are back on the hunt for food. Bear encounters are more common during the spring and early summer as their fat reserves have been depleted.

    “They’re going to be looking for readily available food sources on the landscape and that brings them to close proximity to people when there’s unnatural food sources that people have provided,” stated Big Game Biologist, Brendan Quirion.

    To prevent this, the DEC recommends keeping farm animals like chickens and bees behind electric fences and storing trash and recycling bins in a secure area. Bird feeders may also attract more than just feathered friends.

    “Bird feeders aren’t really necessary this time of year to feed the birds, there’s going to be plenty of food for birds throughout the spring and summer. And so you can take those bird feeders down so that way bears won’t access them,” explained Quirion.

    At WildBird Junction in Delmar, Lance Raffe said not all bird feeders and seeds will attract bears. “Hummingbird feeders throughout the summer are usually pretty safe. We usually recommend a Nyger feeder for the finches because that’s also another seed that bears typically are not interested in.”

    Alternatives to bird feeders are also available. “One way is with water. All birds need water. Planting native plants, fruit and berry and nut producing plants in your backyard, are a good way to attract birds year-round without filling a feeder at all,” added Raffe, the owner of WildBird Junction.

    The DEC advises bird enthusiasts to empty their bird feeders and pick up any seeds from the ground. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal and dangerous, as officials want the bears to stay safe and independent. If you come into close contact with a bear, the DEC recommends making noises, like clapping your hands and raising your voice, to let the bear know you are there.

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    Anthony Krolikowski

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