The Perky-Pet^® Smart Camera Hummingbird Feeder comes with an ant moat. Simply attach the ant moat to the top of the feeder’s metal S-hook and hang the whole assembly from a shepherd’s hook, tree branch, etc. Then fill the ant moat with water. The water will prevent ants from traveling down to the nectar tray.

It is crucial to keep hummingbird feeders clean. Be sure to clean your feeder regularly, at least twice a week, using a solution of warm water and soap. Clean more often in hot weather as nectar can spoil more quickly.

Make sure it’s bird-friendly so your feathered friends will be comfortable visiting. Hummingbirds don’t like to stay out in the open when they’re not feeding, so it’s best to place feeders within 10-15 feet of a tree, bush, or other protective cover. Also be sure to place your hummingbird feeder out of direct sunlight. Strong sun exposure can cause the nectar to spoil more quickly. For the sake of your photos, you’ll also want to pick a spot with a nice backdrop, like flowers and greenery or a favorite angle of your house (but not capturing neighbors’ property or public property).

Squirrel size can vary by species and age, so you may want to experiment with different weight settings until you get the best results. Note: Be sure to use the same weight setting on both sides.

To increase weight sensitivity, raise the metal adjustment bars to a higher position.

To decrease weight sensitivity, lower the adjustment bars.

Proper placement is crucial for maximum squirrel resistance. Hang the feeder with at least 18 inches of clearance on all sides so squirrels can’t easily reach the ports without activating the perch.

You can use black-oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower seed, mixed seed, or safflower seed.

Be sure to clean your feeder regularly, at least every two weeks, using a solution of warm water and soap.

Make sure it’s bird-friendly so your feathered friends will be comfortable visiting. Birds like to have shady spots to rest in between feeding, so it’s best to place feeders about 10-15 feet of a tree, bush, or other protective cover. This also ensures the feeder is far enough away from easy access points for squirrels and other pests. For the sake of your photos, you’ll also want to pick a spot with a nice backdrop, like flowers and greenery or a favorite angle of your house (but not capturing neighbors’ property or public property).

The camera features a motion sensor to detect when birds are visiting the feeder. After motion is detected at the feeder, the camera will go live to capture a “recorded moment” (three photos and one 30 second video).

To prevent receiving alerts when the detected motion is not a bird, the camera uses AI-recognition technology. This ensures that you only receive a Motion Detect notification on your app when there is a bird visiting your feeder. You will not receive alerts when the algorithm identifies the motion as something other than a bird.

Your motion sensitivity settings affect the number of alerts you receive. Depending on your settings, the camera will not necessarily activate if it has recently been triggered and sent a “recorded moment” to your app, even if motion is still detected. However, you can customize the settings according to your preferences. Keep in mind that the frequency of alerts influences your camera’s battery life.

• Low Sensitivity - Maximizes battery life with fewer motion alerts and longer rest intervals.
• Medium Sensitivity - Balances battery life with a moderate number of motion alerts.
• High Sensitivity - Maximizes motion alerts with shorter rest intervals, but higher battery use.

The motion sensitivity setting can be adjusted under the Config tab of the feeder’s Live feed.

The camera can operate within a range of -10°C - 50°C / 14°F - 122°F. The camera should not be exposed to temperatures below -10°C / 14°F, so be sure to store it indoors in extreme conditions.

Yes, the camera works at night. The camera has night vision capabilities allowing for feeder visibility in low-light conditions. However, less of the background will be discernible in these conditions.

Any USB-C cable will work to charge your camera.

The camera takes 2-3 hours to charge fully. A solid red light will indicate that the camera is charging. The light will go off once the camera is fully charged.

You can detect low battery in the Perky-Pet^® App and by looking at the camera itself. When the battery is low, the LED status light on the camera will blink red every 10 seconds. The app will also send you a notification when the battery is low, reminding you to charge your camera. You can view your camera’s battery level any time on the Live tab of the Perky-Pet^® App.

The lights on your camera signal many things. Below is a summary of the lights you may encounter during setup and beyond.

There are a few factors that can affect your camera’s battery performance: 

• Live Stream: Frequently viewing the Live feed from your camera will drain the battery more quickly. While live streaming, the camera remains on. So, the more you use it, the more power is being used by the device.
• Bird Activity: The volume of bird activity can also impact your battery life. During periods of high bird activity, the camera is activated more often, which depletes the battery.
• Temperature: The camera is designed to operate under temperatures ranging from -10°C - 50°C / 14°F - 122°F. But cold temperatures are known to drain battery faster.

Why doesn’t my Wi-Fi network show on the network list?

1. Your Wi-Fi network is private or hidden.
2. Your Wi-Fi is not a 2.4GHz network.

There are a few reasons why you might be unable to connect.

1. Make sure your modem and router are working correctly. Check your Wi-Fi by opening a browser on your mobile device to see if you can access the internet.
2. Make sure you’re connecting to the same Wi-Fi network as your phone.
3. Make sure you aren’t using a hidden Wi-Fi network.
4. Make sure you’re connecting to a network with the correct bandwidth. The camera requires a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band and will not work with a 5GHz band.
   • If you’re using a dual-band router (supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands), ensure you’ve enabled a separate 2.4GHz band with its own SSID (network name). If you don’t know how to create a separate 2.4GHz channel, please contact the router's manufacturer.

The easiest way to measure the strength of your signal is to move around your yard while looking at the Wi-Fi symbol in the upper right corner of a connected mobile device. The more solid bars, the stronger the signal.

This occurs when the camera has already been paired by another user. To connect it to your account, do one of the following:

1. If you know the previous user (i.e. the feeder was gifted to you), ask them to remove the feeder from their account. They can do this by selecting the feeder in the app, opening the Config tab, and selecting “Remove Feeder.”
2. If you don’t know the previous user (i.e. when the feeder has been returned after the initial pairing process), call our Consumer Care team on 1-855-737-5973. They can remove the feeder from the previously paired account.

Our app supports Android devices updated to Android version 8.1 or higher and on all iOS devices updated to iOS version 13 or higher. At the moment, this includes phones and tablets.

No, you do not need a subscription to use the Perky-Pet^® App. Using the app is free for feeder owners as well as invited guests.

There are two ways to reset your password. If you’re attempting to log in and can’t remember your password, simply click the “Forgot password” button and follow the instructions to reset. To change your password, click on your Account Profile icon and select “Reset Password.”

To change ownership of a feeder, open the Perky-Pet^® App and visit the Live tab. Select the desired feeder and open the Config tab. Click the “Remove Feeder” button at the bottom of the page. This will remove the feeder from your account. The new owner can now create their own account and pair the feeder.

You can share your feeder with up to three people.

No. Currently the feeders are only viewable from the Perky-Pet^® App.

Favorite media will stay in your library for as long as you wish. All media not tagged as Favorite will move to the Expiring tab after 7 days. Once in the Expiring tab, you have 3 more days to Favorite or download it before it disappears from your media library.

You have 10GB of cloud storage, which will hold approximately 400 recorded moments. Each recorded moment is three photos and one 30 second video. You can view the amount of remaining storage space via the Cloud Storage page in the Perky-Pet^® App settings.

The number of Favorites is limited to the amount of space in your Cloud Storage (10GB total).