Wingscapes asked me to review their AutoFeeder for feeding wild birds. I was skeptical at first. After all, why would anyone ever need an automatic birdseed dispenser for feeding the birds? So, I reserved judgment and setup the feeder.
After having used it for a couple of months I wondered how I never heard of them before because damn, I needed one!
I don’t always agree to review a product when I’m asked but this one intrigued me. By the way, I do not accept payment for my reviews nor do I agree to convey thoughts that are not my own. I respect you and my own integrity too much to be a sellout.
As I mentioned, my initial thought was why would I ever need an auto feeder? After setting it up and using it I discovered several unexpected benefits to using one. Here are a few:
- Auto bird feeders allow you to go on vacation and still feed the birds.
- Auto bird feeders allow save you money by controlling how much seed the birds get each day vs. how much they can or want to eat.
- Auto bird feeders keep birdseed dry and fresh.
I’ll go into more detail in a minute, but first, let me explain what a bird auto feeder is in case it’s new to you too.
What is a Bird auto feeder?
Just like it sounds, a bird auto feeder is a feeder that automatically dispenses birdseed from a stored area to the feeding tray. Birds are then able to feed on the seed until it’s gone, or until the next supply of birdseed is automatically dispensed. Auto feeders are comprised of 3 main parts:
- Storage area: An area that stores the birdseed until it’s time to be dispensed.
- Timer Mechanism: A built-in timer that releases the birdseed at predetermined times.
- Feeding Tray: The area where the birdseed is dispensed to and where the birds perch to feed on the seed.
What to look for in a Bird Autofeeder?
In order for an auto feeder to be worthy in my eyes, it needs to have the qualities below. Otherwise, you might as well just hang out a regular old, manual bird feeder.
- Storage Capacity: The storage area must hold at least 4 cups of birdseed. Any less than that and the feeder loses its benefit of you not having to go out and feed the birds so often.
- Protection from the Elements: The storage area must keep the seed dry and secure so it doesn’t get moldy and isn’t accessible by squirrels and other wildlife you didn’t plan to feed.
- Hold a Variety of Birdseed: The feeder should be able to hold a variety of birdseed types and sizes. At a minimum, it should work with black-oil sunflower seed.
- Control of Food Dispensing. The feeder must have a mechanism that controls the release of the birdseed vs. just dispensing whenever the tray is empty. It should allow for dispensing the food multiple times a day – ideally at least twice, AM and PM.
- Dispenser Amount: The dispenser must dispense at least 1/3 cup of seed. Any less than that amount and only a few birds can enjoy the seed.
- Feeding Tray Size: The feeder tray must be large enough to support medium-sized birds (e.g. a bird the size of a cardinal) so we can enjoy watching a variety of birds at the feeder.
- Ease of Cleaning: The feeder and its parts must be easy to clean so you can be a responsible bird host and not facilitate the spreading of germs and make the birds sick. Anyone who’s visited my blog in the past knows I’m a huge proponent of being a responsible bird host. This means cleaning the feeders and baths on a regular basis is a must. Any feeder I recommend must be able to be cleaned easily which means it needs to be made of nonporous material and easy to take apart.
- Warranty: At least a 1-year warranty to protect your investment because auto feeders cost more than most manual feeders.
Wingscapes AutoFeeder Review
Upon receiving the bird feeder I was impressed with its sturdiness. The primary material is hard plastic and the hanger & top is metal.
Even the battery and timer doors fit perfectly (no loosey goosey or plastic hinges that eventually rip off) and stay put with thumb screws. By the way, I liked not having to search for a screwdriver.
The feeder has some weight to it (3.5 lbs. even before it’s filled with seed) so be prepared to have a sturdy hook to hang it from. I hung mine from my super sturdy Squirrel Stoppers Sequoia bird feeder pole.
The Wingscapes AutoFeeder in Action
Below is some video footage I captured of the Wingscapes AutoFeeder in my yard. Notice the red-winged blackbird (a larger bird) manages to use the feeding tray so it’s plenty big for most birds.
How Wingscapes AutoFeeder Measures Up
The table below shows how the Wingscapes AutoFeeder compares with the minimum qualities and requirements I previously defined.
| Key Features | Minimum | Wingscapes AutoFeeder |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Capacity | 4 cups | Holds up to 1 gallon (16 cups) of bird seed. |
| Protection from the Elements | Protects against snow, rain, squirrels | The enclosed clear cylinder, metal top, and dispenser trap keep the birdseed dry. |
| Hold a Variety of Birdseed | At least black-oil sunflower seed. | I confirmed it works with black-oil sunflower seed, safflower, and striped sunflower seeds. Thistle wouldn’t work great but I wouldn’t expect it to. Thistle is best used in a thistle-style feeder. |
| Control of Food Dispensing | 2 times / AM & PM | You can define up to 4 different intervals and the hour in which the birdseed is dispensed. For example, I set mine to dispense 2x each day at 4 AM and 4 PM. |
| Dispenser Amount | 1/3 cup | You can configure the amount of seed dispensed. The options range from 1 – 10 seconds. It’s a bit tricky, but when set to 5 seconds, the system releases birdseed for 5 seconds. I can’t say how much quantity is released per second so you have to experiment. I set mine to 10 seconds and I estimate it releases between 1/2 – 3/4 cup of seed. |
| Feeding Tray Size | Cardinal-size bird | The feeding tray does accommodate cardinals. See the video above. |
| Ease of Cleaning | Non-porous & comes apart | The Wingscape AutoFeeder is made of primarily of hard plastic and metal (the cover), which enables it to be easily cleaned. The nonporous materials allow for soaking in diluted bleach water without destroying the feeder. |
| Warranty | 1 year | Wingscapes offers a 1-year warranty against manufacturer defects. |
Additional Features
The Wingscapes AutoFeeder also has some additional features I’d like to highlight:
- It has a built-in baffle intended to prevent other wildlife from breaching the storage cylinder. This is ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a bird feeder pole with a built-in squirrel baffle.
- The feeding tray has holes for drainage. This is great when it rains so the birdseed isn’t left to sit in water and mold or just unappealing to the birds.
- The dispenser is easy to program the number of intervals, time, and amount. No confusing programming required… just easily set and it works.
What could use improvement
If I had any criticisms about the auto feeder it would be the ability to dispense more than (roughly) 3/4 cup of seed at a time. Some people have more birds to feed and would like to offer more birdseed.
Again, I wasn’t paid to write this review nor was I compelled to write a positive review.
After using the auto feeder I determined it has merit and benefits I’d like to share with fellow backyard birdwatchers. Especially if you’re concerned about the birds while on vacation, wish to save on birdseed, or just don’t want to fill the feeder as often.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Wingscapes AutoFeeder Bird Feeder I’d appreciate it if you used my affiliate link to Amazon (below) as I’ll earn a small commission which helps offset the cost of providing you with free content on this site. I also provided a link to the Wingscapes website if you prefer to purchase the feeder there.
Wingscapes AutoFeeder on Amazon
Wingscapes AutoFeeder on Wingscapes.com
Wrapping Up
It’s my pleasure to set up, use, test, and review this automatic bird feeder for you. I highly recommend it for keeping birdseed dry, dispensing seed at regular intervals so you don’t have to remember or are on vacation, and for the ability to better manage your bird feeding budget.
I’d love your thoughts on the Wingscape AutoFeeder or automatic bird feeders in general. Would you use one? Why or why not? Leave your comments below.
Happy Birding!
