Harymor Q8/BF12S Smart Bird Feeder Review

About the Harymor Q8/BF12S Smart Bird Feeder

• Seed capacity: 2L
• Dimensions: 8.66 x 8.66 x 10.83 inches
• Weight: 5.35 pounds
• Camera resolution: 2K
• Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
• Storage: 3-day rolling for free, 30- or 60-day by subscription, or locally via SD card (not included)
• Weatherproof: Yes, IP65 certified
• Power source: Solar panels (2 on roof), 1 additional panel
• Mounting options: Tree, wall mount
• AI features: Bird species identification, visit tracking
• Temperature range: -4°F to 122°F

The Harymor Q8/BF12S is a solar-powered smart bird feeder that sends video of the birds around your feeder directly to your phone, where the company's AI-powered Birdnee app identifies them.

The feeder mounts on a wall, tree, or post and uses your Wi-Fi network to stream in-app video of your avian visitors. The app and limited (3-day) storage are free. To unlock more robust bird information and identification features, as well as 30-day storage, you'll need to subscribe to the app. A plan with 30 days of cloud storage costs $49.99 a year or $4.99 a month, and a plan with 60 days of cloud storage costs $69.99 a year or $6.99 a month.

How we tested

To test the Harymor Q8/BF12S, I installed it on a post in my suburban backyard. I've tested a number of other smart bird feeders, including an older Harymor model, so to make comparisons easy, I put the Q8/BF12S in the same spot: around the patio, near several large and presumably bird-filled trees.

I filled the feeder with an all-purpose birdseed mix, downloaded the app, and started watching the camera feed to see who showed up.

What we like

Installation is simple

Bird feeders aren't always easy to set up, but the Harymor Q8/BF12S was. The pieces snapped together, and the included screws (plus a guide sticker for installation) made the process quick and painless. The camera connected to Wi-Fi right away, and setting up the app was as simple as pointing my phone's camera at the QR code on the box and starting the download.

Camera quality is surprisingly good

The Q8/BF12S's 2K camera captures birds flying, eating, and chirping live and in color—you can see and hear their visits in real time with notifications, and revisit them later. While the video quality doesn't match that of pricier models with 4K cameras, I found the video and audio crisp and accurate, even during blink-and-you'll-miss-it visits.

Bird identification is mostly accurate

AI bird IDs have come a long way. Where earlier smart bird feeders would routinely flag ultra-rare birds from around the globe in my Midwestern backyard (they were always sparrows), the AI identifications from the Birdnee app were spot on for my bird visitors.

The Birdnee AI correctly identified northern cardinals, house sparrows, and white-breasted nuthatches, even in encounters with multiple species present. It's not perfect: During the test period, it misidentified a sparrow as a Bewick's wren (a species not found in our area) and suggested that a black-capped chickadee (the species that thrives here) was a chestnut-backed chickadee. But by and large, I was impressed, and it was a big improvement over bird identification in years past.

The price is right

With a list price of $116.97, the Harymor Q8/BF12S is substantially cheaper than competing smart bird feeders. The Kiwibit, our top-ranked bird feeder, retails for $180-$270, and the Bird Buddy, another favorite of ours, retails for $240-$299. The Q8/BF12S is also often on sale—we've seen it for as little as $70 with discounts and coupon codes—which makes the price even more striking. Considering the functionality you're getting, this is a highly accessible way to get into smart bird feeders.

What we don't like

Using the app can be cumbersome

Let's start with the good: The Birdnee app notifies you when it detects birds or motion at your feeder and lets you view clips of your visits, organized by bird or by date. You can download those clips to your phone, too.

Note: For most of the testing period, I subscribed to the annual plan that saves videos for 30 days. I also used the app in its most basic mode, with no subscription attached. Without the subscription, you get notifications and video clips stored for three days, but no identification or longer-term storage.

But while the videos are good, the app lacks the clear organization and user-friendly interface that other bird feeder apps offer, with multiple sorting options and more robust location and identification data.

Something else I missed: photos. While the videos in the app are great, other apps we've used also pull still photos of feeder visitors. Although seeing the birds in action is the top draw, having photos available for easy sharing or for identifying new species is surprisingly helpful, and leaving them out seems like a missed opportunity.

Too many notifications

This is a complaint you'll see leveled at many smart bird feeders, but the sheer number of notifications the app sends is enough to push you over the edge: 78 in one representative testing day, triggered every time a bird visited, a squirrel stopped by, or the camera detected any motion, including our dog making the rounds of the yard.

I couldn't find a way in the app to filter notifications or reduce their sensitivity. The instruction manual says you can adjust the camera's motion sensitivity on the device, but if you've already screwed the feeder into its home spot, that's a hassle.

Warranty

Harymor offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on products bought directly through its website, with returns for a refund or replacement; the customer pays for shipping. (A 20% restocking fee may apply to returned products that are altered, missing parts, or damaged by misuse.)

Harymor backs its products with a one-year warranty that extends to two years if you register your product on its site. The site doesn't say what the warranty covers.

Should you buy the Harymor Q8/BF12S Smart Bird Feeder?

Yes, if you're looking for great bird video on a budget

The bottom line? The Harymor Q8/BF12S Smart Bird Feeder (available at Amazon for $99.99) is a quality bird feeder at a great price.

While it lacks some of the bells and whistles of pricier brands, it delivers an easy-to-set-up product that brings the birds to your yard (and your phone).

It might not be the best bird feeder we've ever tested, but it's a solid smart feeder that delivers on the most important features—and does it at a price the competition doesn't match.