Using a trail camera for garden birds

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Pick a feeder spot you can frame

   Choose a feeder, bird bath or regular perch you can point the camera at without the frame including your neighbour's windows or the street. Hanging feeders are best: the RSPB now advises against flat-surface feeders such as bird tables, window feeders and trays, because they are linked to a higher risk of spreading disease.

   Next: step 2
2. 2

   Step 2: Get the distance right for focus

   Most trail cameras are built to focus on animals a few metres away, so a bird right in front of the lens can come out blurred. Check the focus distance in your manual. If you want frame-filling close-ups, look for a camera sold for close-range or bird work; some models have come with screw-on close-up lenses. Otherwise, sit the camera far enough back to stay sharp and accept a smaller bird in the frame.

   Next: step 3
3. 3

   Step 3: Set the height and angle

   Browning suggests mounting the camera about 3–5 feet (roughly 0.9–1.5m) off the ground for feeder shots, tilted slightly down towards where birds land. For birds perching in shrubs, aim nearer their level. Avoid facing the sun, which causes glare and false triggers.

   Next: step 4

4. 4

   Step 4: Choose sensitive, fast settings

   Small birds give off little heat and move quickly, so use high sensitivity and the fastest trigger setting. Short video clips show feeding and squabbling better than single photos. Time-lapse mode, if your camera has it, can show activity across the day without relying on the motion sensor.

   Next: step 5
5. 5

   Step 5: Feed safely through the seasons

   The RSPB's July 2026 guidance asks people to pause seed and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October because of trichomonosis risk. Small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet are fine then, and you can offer the full range from 1 November to 30 April. Put nuts only in rigid steel mesh feeders, never nylon mesh bags, and avoid bread and hard, dry food in spring and summer as chicks can choke.

   Next: step 6
6. 6

   Step 6: Keep everything clean

   Clean feeders and baths at least once a week with hot soapy water followed by a non-toxic disinfectant or a 5% bleach solution, and change bath water every day (RSPB). A clean feeder also means clearer footage, as there is less mess on the ground to block the view.

   Next: step 7
7. 7

   Step 7: Nest boxes: fit cameras before nesting starts

   If you want to watch chicks, the RSPB suggests fitting a nest box camera before the breeding season starts, and leaving boxes alone as spring approaches. Don't open or rearrange a box once birds are using it. Clean boxes out from September once the nest is empty; unhatched eggs can only legally be removed between September and January (August to January in Scotland). See wildlife law and trail cameras for the rules on protected birds.

   Next: step 8
8. 8

   Step 8: Record what you see

   Your clips can feed into the BTO's Garden BirdWatch: you list the birds using your garden each Sunday-to-Saturday week, with hedgehogs and other wildlife as optional extras. Only count birds actually using the garden, not ones flying over.