Finding the sweet spot for your FeatherSnap Seed Feeder matters. Look for a location that offers a clear view and can be easily seen and reached for refills and cleaning. It’s also important to find a place that keeps feathered friends safe and comfortable.

Here’s what we recommend:

Choose a semi-open spot that’s about 10 feet from trees and shrubs. This gives birds a safe and visible place to perch while helping protect them from predators and keeping sneaky squirrels at bay. (For more tips on bird-friendly landscaping, read this blog.)

If you’re placing your feeder near a window, try to keep it no more than 3 feet away from the glass. Counterintuitive? Maybe. But this short distance means birds can’t pick up enough speed to get hurt—which helps prevent window strikes.

To keep birds healthy and your smart bird feeder working like a charm, you’ll want to clean it regularly. Even wild birds can carry illnesses that could spread through shared feeders. A quick, regular cleaning helps keep them safe.

We recommend cleaning 1-2 times per month, but more if it’s hot, humid or if your feeder has been exposed to a lot of rain.

Here’s how:

1. Dump out any leftover seed (right in the garbage, not the compost).

2. Remove the camera before washing—this one’s a biggie.

3. Wash the feeder with warm, soapy water.

4. Disinfect with diluted bleach mix (1 part bleach, 9 parts water).

5. Use a bottle brush to get into all the nooks without needing to disassemble.

6. Rinse well and let it dry completely before refilling with fresh seed and reattaching the camera.

Discover the joy of birdwatching right out of the box with our free FeatherSnap app, where you can access live streaming of birds at your feeder and download pictures.

When you’re ready to really spread your birdwatching wings, the Premium Subscription offers even more personalized magic and intel. Save and share your best snaps, use AI to identify bird species (it’s like having access to your very own on-call ornithologist—fancy, right?) and build your own Bird Book. Plus, unlock weekly Snap Wraps, share your images or post questions on our new social network channel Nestwork, play daily games to earn virtual seeds, hatch and customize adorable Snaplings, collect exclusive badges and basically live your best backyard nature documentary life. Starring you and your feathered crew.

It’s totally normal for a few weeks to pass before birds find a new smart bird feeder. In the meantime, here are a few things you can try to help them swoop by:

Serve up a seed buffet. Offering a variety of mixes helps attract different species and FeatherSnap’s multi-chamber design lets you switch bird food with ease.

Keep it tidy. Clean feeders keep seed fresher, longer—and birds can tell the difference.

Double-check placement. If more than 6 weeks have gone by without many visits, try moving the feeder closer to natural cover, like trees or shrubs. Birds love having spots nearby to scope things out before diving in.

A little patience (and maybe a seed upgrade) can do the trick. Bird guests will arrive—and when they do, your FeatherSnap will be ready to make it all worth the wait.

In some instances, your FeatherSnap may not get enough sunlight for the solar panel to be able to do its thing. If that’s the case, no worries—you’ve got a backup. Simply remove the camera module and plug in using the included USB-C cable. Give it a good, full charge, then place it back into your feeder and things should be good to go.