Cuckoo Smart Video Camera Bird Feeder by Arkantos Review

Cuckoo Smart Video Camera Bird Feeder by Arkantos Review

Buy it at Amazon: Cuckoo Smart Video Camera Bird Feeder by Arkantos [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Quick and easy setup, clear video and audio, accurate AI identification of birds.

You’ll receive an instruction manual, bird feeder seed box with removable HD camera, solar panel rooftop, bird stand perch, microUSB charging cable, 64 GB microSD card, accessories and hardware pack, bracket connector, mounting bracket, and drill sticker template. The front of the seed box has a clear front, and it measures 9” tall, 7.25” wide, and 7.5” deep.

The camera is removable and the solar panel cable disconnects from the top. The rubber door is removable and inside you’ll install the SD card and the power switch is at the top. You’ll need to remove the protective plastic on the front and you’ll see the red light flashing when the camera is ready for pairing to the mobile app. The app you’ll need is called Bird Lover, and the QR code at the bottom of the bird feeder will take you to the app in your app store.

After installation you’ll need to register or log in with an account. In the app, tap add device, select your model bird feeder, confirm the unit is powered on and is in pairing mode, then choose your home WiFi network and enter its password. A QR code will appear on your mobile device’s screen and you’ll need to scan it using the bird feeder camera from 8-10 inches away. After you hear the confirmation beep, tap continue and the light on the front of the camera should change to a solid green. Now you should be able to see a streaming live view of the camera feed in the app.

The app will show you the camera’s remaining battery life, you can enable live audio, view the stream in full screen, capture live still photos and video recordings, enable the microphone for two-way communication, or activate an alarm to scare away other animals trying to steal the bird seed. You can plug the included data cable into the power port on top and connect the camera to a computer to access files on the card or charge the unit indoors.

Behind the camera you’ll find a thumbscrew for securing the camera to a rotating bracket so that the camera doesn’t fall out of the bird feeder. To install the camera, rotate the bracket forward and drop the thumb screw into the hole in the middle, then place the camera with the top facing out, and thread the thumbscrew into the back of the camera. Then rotate the bracket back and plug the solar panel cable back into the top.

On the underside of the roof, there is a USB-C port towards the back that the cable inside the bird feeder connects to so the solar panels can charge and deliver power to the camera. Then with the roof panel tilted forward, align the notches at the left and right sides, to the slots at the top front corners of the bird feeder window and slide them in at the same time. Then tilt the roof back until the tab at the back snaps into place. The solar panels on either side ensure that no matter which direction the bird feeder faces, that sunlight can reach at least one of them. The seed collection tray at the front of the bird feeder has holes in the bottoms to allow water to drain in case this area gets wet from rain. Then these two holes at the front are for attaching the bird stand perch and are secured using two screws at the bottom.

Installing the bird feeder is quick and straightforward. After piloting the holes using the drill template, attach the mounting bracket in your desired location using the four long screws. If mounting to the top of the L-bracket, you’ll need to remove the plastic cup bracket and reinstall it on top. Then place the bird feed onto the bracket, and secure the bracket connector underneath with the 3 included screws. Note that the attachment point under the bird feeder has a post and tab that align with a hole and notch in the bracket connector and these must line up when attaching it.

To fill the bird feeder, lift the tab at the back of the roof panel and tilt the roof forward. Then fill the chamber with seeds. As the chamber fills, seeds will dispense automatically into the seed tray, and the chamber can hold about 2.5 lbs of seed. Then tilt the roof back and snap it back into place. Lastly, place the perch into the holes at the front of the seed tray and attach it with the short screws underneath.

Now all you need to do is wait for birds to discover your bird feeder and visit it. Don’t be discouraged if this doesn’t happen right away, as it could take several days or weeks before birds notice the food there. I’ve had mine setup for a few days now and am still waiting for my first visitor, but I’m eager to see what shows up soon! When they do I’ll get a notification on my phone. Using the AI recognition feature, the app will try and determine what species of bird came to your feeder and when using sample images, it seems pretty accurate!

Buy it at Amazon: Cuckoo Smart Video Camera Bird Feeder by Arkantos [Affiliate Link]