If you have a bird feeder set up in your backyard, you might want to start taking photos of some of the birds that visit. But do you know how to set up a bird feeder camera? Assuming you already have a camera and a bird table with frequent visitors, here are a few tips to get the best possible images.
Many modern cameras can shoot 4K video. However, the frame rate is usually only 24-30 fps. This is great when the subject stays still, but birds rarely do. 1080p resolution at 60fps provides brilliant clarity on video playback without breaking the bank.
How to Photograph Birds at a Feeder
It is great having a bird feeder, but often the ‘Kodak’ moment has passed by the time the camera is ready. Setting up a feeder camera can capture these missed opportunities and others that you are unable to witness. There are a number of ways to capture images and videos of birds visiting your feeding station. Here are a few things to consider before going out and purchasing a camera.
Here are some tips to help capture the perfect shot:
- Face your camera slightly downwards. – High contrast, i.e., sun or bright clouds in the background, will wash color from your images.
- Move the camera closer rather than using zoom. – Optical zoom is fine, but digital zoom reduces image quality.
- Don’t have the camera too close to the action. – Many cameras have a minimum focus distance. If you move closer, the images become blurry.
- Shoot video at 60fps (frames per second) or higher. – The higher the frame rate, the less motion blur you will encounter in individual frames for still images.
Different Camera Types For Your Feeder Station
There is a range of different cameras that can be used to capture feeding station action. From WiFi-enabled security cameras that come equipped with an inbuilt solar charger to a $10 dashboard camera. However passionate you are, there is a solution that suits you.
Specialist Bird Feeder Cameras
Pictured above is a Netvue bird feeder with a camera from Birdfy. As you can see, it is mounted to an exterior wall and the feed sits around the camera. The perching points are a little way out but right in front of the camera so you should get a clear shot of the bird. It has a long battery life and is recharged by a USB-C cable. A memory card is not included. There are also bird box camera kits widely available for a bit more control over your desired setup.
Action Camera
GoPro is a brand of action camera that boasts fantastic image quality in a pocket-sized solution. There is a range of accessories to clip, stick, or strap the camera to almost anything. Their video editing software is easy to use and very intuitive. In fact, the GoPro software is more powerful than most free aftermarket video editing suites.
The newest GoPro cameras can be quite expensive. As an action camera, they are designed to be involved in the action, so stabilizing the image is a priority for the company. There have been advances in image sensors, but most of the recent development has been in image stabilization. This means that an older go-pro still provides a similar image quality to a newer model, as long as it is kept still.
There are other cheap action cameras available in competition with GoPro. These can vary greatly in price and quality. Remember, you get what you pay for.
Trail Camera
A trail camera is activated by movement and will record photos or videos when triggered. Trail cameras are great as a ‘set up and leave it’ option. Benefits often include extended battery life, minimal effort to install, night vision, and cool camouflage looks.
Dashboard Camera
Dashboard cameras are cheap, often water-resistant, and usually, come with attachments for motorcyclists. These attachments are handy when it comes to mounting your camera. Purchasing a water-resistant camera means you can bypass finding a solution to keeping the elements out.
The negatives of a dashcam are that the color quality often isn’t on par with other cameras. Battery life is usually short, sometimes less than an hour. Many dashboard cameras save a video in 5-minute clips because they don’t save automatically when the battery dies.
CCTV Camera
Security cameras can be used at a feeding station. They usually require mains power, which means you never have to charge batteries. Benefits include longevity, plenty of storage space for video files, and designed to be left permanently outdoors. Image storage is usually on a DVR inside the house, and this can even be linked directly to your PC.
Some CCTV cameras even have optical zoom. So you can use it for security in your home, but zoom in to watch the bird table during the day.
Negatives are mainly due to the cost and inconvenience of installation. They usually require mains power, which could mean lots of expensive cabling. The image quality of a security camera may not be as sharp as other cameras.
Setting Up the Camera
If your bird table is out in the open, your feeder camera will probably be only temporary. It is not easy to make a feeder camera look pretty when there is nothing to hide it. You will need a tripod/stand so the camera can see the top of the table to catch the money shots.
Face the camera towards the north if possible. Shots with the sun in the background will wash out the beautiful plumage colors. Try to get the elevation of the camera above that of the table. Looking slightly downwards will also reduce the contrast from a bright overcast sky.
If the feeding station is under trees, you might have a few locations where you can mount the camera. If there are some darker shadows under bushes, keep these in the background. Inverse to a bright contrast, dark contrasts emphasize the color of the feathers.
If the feeding station is on the ground, there is probably a little more activity. Ground-feeding mammals will often visit feeding stations for an easy meal. These visitors will also raise the likelihood of raptors in the area.
A ground station is a bit easier for a temporary camera. A miniature tripod is all you should need to snap some great video.
If you do have raptors hunting around your feeding station and your budget allows, buy a 2nd camera. A good quality camera for close-up shots and another placed higher up and further away. A wider angle will show more of the social interaction between the birds. In contrast, the close-up camera captures all of those priceless expressions.
Bird Feeder Camera FAQs
Specialist cameras are specifically designed to shoot birds on feeders. That puts them a step ahead of the other, more generic cameras.
Well, there is nothing like getting the shot yourself. You could invest in a portable hide and set that up in your garden and photograph the birds in the traditional manner. We know that birds are hungry in the mornings so they should be fairly predictable, especially if you put food out at the same time for them.
No, you don’t. 90% of bird photography is being in the right place at the right time. As your feeder is in your garden, then you have the right place and the right time is after you put food out.
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