Quick Summary
The Cuckoo smart bird feeder has almost all the features you'd want in a smart bird feeder. Unfortunately the app it relies on isn't very good at identifying birds, so don't toss your bird guide!
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Conclusion:
The Cuckoo smart bird feeder is a great little device for close-up birdwatching. It's more affordable than some and comes with built-in solar power, a good-sized SC card to store your images, and a 30-day free cloud storage too. Unfortunately the app it AI uses is pretty bad at recognizing birds. If you buy the Cuckoo smart bird feeder you'll need to keep your bird book handy to confirm the identifications it makes.
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Cuckoo smart bird feeder review
The Cuckoo smart bird feeder is a very solid, sturdy feeder that's easy to set up and holds a decent amount of feed - about 5 cups, or 1.5 liters.
Night or day, the camera takes 1080p video and can capture still images. The night vision uses infrared, which means you'll get a black and white image like the one shown here.
The Cuckoo smart bird feeder body is made of recyclable plastic - which may worry you if you have a squirrel problem.
Never fear - it's unlikely that squirrels will damage the feeder, as the feeding port and seed tray are large to give them plenty of food without any work at all!
On the other hand, if you don't want to feed squirrels, you'll need to take some squirrel busting action. Check out this article for some great tips on defeating squirrels:
The ugly truth about squirrel-proof bird feeders
We love that the Cuckoo smart bird feeder is one of the few models that have solar power built right in and also comes with an included microSD card.
Unlike some of the others, the Cuckoo smart bird feeder doesn't have optional add-ons like a fruit, jelly or suet feeder, or a different style of perch.
And the app this feeder relies on for AI doesn't work very well to identify birds. However, you can share your feed with 4 or more other people which is a nice trade-off.
See also:
10 tips for choosing the best smart bird feeder
Who is this product for?
The Cuckoo smart bird feeder is a great choice for people who are already somewhat familiar with their backyard birds. You'll be entertained by some of the boo-boos the AI comes up with, and will love watching the birds live on your phone.
Overview of features
Dimensions | L 7.63" x W 8.46" X H12.4" |
Videos | 1080p |
Photos | 2 MP |
Camera view | 130 degrees |
Night Vision | Yes - B&W |
Solar power | Built in |
Time To Charge Battery | 2-4 hours |
Photo/Video Storage | free cloud storage for 30 days |
Takes SD card? | Yes - 64GB SD card included |
Mike & Speaker | Yes |
Accessories available | No |
Subscription required | No |
Add Extra Viewers | 4 or more |
What's included
As you can see in the illustration below, the Cuckoo smart bird feeder comes with all the cables and hardware you'll need to set up your new feeder and mount it in your yard.
How to use the Cuckoo smart bird feeder
Setup
Setting up your feeder will be quick and easy. Here's a great video explaining what to do:
Connecting your phone
Here's another good video here showing how to connect your phone to the Cuckoo's camera
Placement
You'll need to find a spot with a solid tree, fence or post to mount this feeder on.
As with any solar-powered smart bird feeder, you'll need to find a spot with a good WiFi signal and a few daily hours of direct sunlight to keep the camera charge.
Capacity
The Cuckoo holds about 5 cups (1.5 liters) of bird seed and the feeding port is large enough for any kind of seed.
Not sure what to offer? Check out this article from the National Audubon Society:
11 Tips for Feeding Backyard Birds
Filling
Lift off the roof and add seed to the bin, then snap the roof back into place.
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Alternative to this product
If you're looking for a smart bird feeder with the same features, the BROAIMX smart bird feeder is a good choice. It's also solar-powered, uses the same app and also comes with a 64GB SD card.
Conclusion
If you want a smart bird feeder that's uncomplicated and easy to set up, the Cuckoo is a good choice. It's relatively affordable, has lots of features and is highly shareable. AI bird recognition technology is not very good in general, and the Cuckoo is about average in this respect.
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