Taking the binoculars out of birdwatching. Smart feeders brings birds from yards to phones
Whether you’re a novice or experienced bird watcher, AI technology is helping bird-watching enthusiasts step their game up to the next level.
“'It’s called the Bird Reel and it's a new product for Wild Birds Unlimited,” said Jennifer Millwood, sales associate at Wild Birds Unlimited in Augusta. “Everything's going towards technology, including nature, as we say. This is a really cool way to help identify what's stopping at your feet or in your yard.”
The BirdReel, a smart bird feeder, comes equipped with an HD camera, microphone, AI bird recognition, 1.5-liter food capacity and can even livestream.
“The way the feeder works is you download the Bird Lover app and when you get your feeder you sync them up,” said Millwood. “It doesn't matter if you’re at your house or at work, you can see who’s at your feeder. When it identifies your bird it actually puts a link to the Wikipedia page that tells you more about that particular bird.”
In the event a bandit tries to grab a paw full of seeds, there’s a feature for that.
“The AI technology also identifies squirrels,” said Millwood. “... You can get notifications for motion detection to show you that something's on it. It's got a siren on it for squirrels. If it identifies a squirrel you can either set it off manually or automatically.”
Some might say the technology takes away from the bird watching experience, but Millwood says it's the opposite.
“I feel like it really enhances it for people who aren’t able to physically go birdwatching,” said Millwood. “I also think for novice birders, just learning I think it definitely helps.”
There are a number of smart bird feeders on the market including the Bird Buddy, which can be purchased by visiting the website at mybirdbuddy.com as well as the Netvue that can be purchased by visiting www.netvue.com. And, of course, Amazon offers a wide selection of smart feeders.
Marcia Ducharme, store manager at Wild Birds Unlimited, said technology has helped encourage the next generation of birders.
“I have a 15-year-old grandson that always made fun of me for watching birds,” said Ducharme. “He thought it was ‘an old person sport’ until I showed him the Merlin app. He started using it. You didn't even have to see birds. It'll just record and tell you what's in your area. Then it'll pull a list and he's sending me his list every day."
But for those who still prefer get out into nature, Wild Birds Unlimited will play host to a free bird walk on Saturday at 9 a.m.
“I'm hoping that we'll still see some of the migratory birds,” said Millwood. “These are birds that typically don't come to feeders.”
Don’t forget your binoculars. The bird walk will be held in Edgefield at 108 Lanham Rd. The walk is for birdwatchers ages 10 and up.
Comfortable clothing is recommended. Avoid wearing white. It is a warning color for birds.
For more information about the bird walk, contact the store by calling 706-855-1955 or visit the website at augusta.wbu.com.
Bats: Friend or Foe? Cast as scary creatures, bats actually are useful and locals are enticing them with new homes
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on Twitter: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Smart AI Recognition Bird Feeder is changing the way bird enthusiasts learn about birds
