Bird Buddy Expands Beyond Birds: New Smart Nature Observatory Targets Pollinators and Plant Life
Bird Buddy, the company renowned for its smart bird feeders that brought birdwatching to the masses, is branching out. They're setting their sights on a broader range of backyard biodiversity with their new Wonder Blocks and Petal camera system. This innovative system aims to attract, document, and ultimately, help protect pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other essential insects. Given the decline in pollinator populations due to climate change and habitat loss, this new venture is particularly timely and important.
Announced initially at CES 2025, the Wonder Blocks and Petal cameras are now available for pre-order through Kickstarter, with delivery anticipated in mid-2026. This move follows the success of Bird Buddy's previous crowdfunding campaigns, and signals a significant expansion of their nature-focused product line.
The Petal camera, priced at $129 as a standalone unit or $249 in a Duo Pack, boasts a 12-megapixel sensor capable of capturing 4K video. What sets it apart is its AI-powered species recognition, trained to identify over 2,000 species of birds, bees, butterflies, insects, and native plants in real-time. This allows users to not only observe their local wildlife, but also to learn about them.
Equipped with low-powered architecture, the Petal camera can operate for up to a month on a single charge, with the option of indefinite battery life through an included solar panel. Swappable lenses further enhance its versatility, offering both wide-angle and macro views for detailed observation. All captured footage is accessible via a mobile app, which also features a Nature’s Voice function that generates BBC Earth-style mini-documentaries, complete with AI-generated narration.
Alongside the Petal camera, Wonder Blocks offer a modular habitat system designed to support pollinators. The system centers around the Habitat, a smart planter priced at $149 that serves as a base for upgrades like a bee habitat or a small flowing stream. The larger Wonder Blocks set ($299) includes a Petal camera and an Observation Pole, while the Hero set ($499) features two cameras, an arched frame for magnetic accessories, and attachments for feeding hummingbirds and sheltering butterflies.
Franci Zidar, co-founder and CEO of Bird Buddy, emphasized the dual purpose of the Wonder Blocks system: “Wonder Blocks is about more than just observing nature — it’s about understanding it, and helping it thrive. This is conservation made accessible, emotional, and intelligent.”
The Wonder Blocks will have a separate dedicated app for its system while promising future integrations between the Bird Buddy, Petal and Wonder Blocks family.
With the Wonder Blocks and Petal camera, Bird Buddy takes a significant step towards becoming a comprehensive nature tech ecosystem. Will this new system effectively engage individuals in conservation efforts right in their own backyards? What are your thoughts on using technology to promote biodiversity? Share your opinions in the comments below!