Introduction

A number of viewers of my 24/7 bird cam stream have asked about this feeder, so I thought that I would respond with some of my thoughts and concerns as well as more information in case you were considering purchasing this feeder for your birds.

From Wingscapes’ Facebook page: “Wingscapes manufactures innovative products that change the way people experience nature. Ease of use, reliability and product enjoyment are core to our design philosophy. With Wingscapes, you'll never miss another of nature’s fleeting moments.” “This automatic bird feeder features a squirrel-proof cap , a deep tray that prevents spillage and a drain to keep the seed dry. The birds will always get to enjoy a space to land and eat.

Other Research

Wingscapes is owned by PRADCO, a company that also owns Moultrie Feeders and is based out of Birmingham, Alabama. Moultrie is well established in not only the feeder space for deer, but also for most any type of freshwater fish (for fish production and ponds), but also for birds. And the bird feeders can be used to feed chickens as well.

I checked out their feeder on Amazon and found that when I looked, they had 205 5-star reviews! Five-star reviews aren’t all that common in larger numbers, especially for bird feeders. From the Amazon product page:

“Wingscapes WSBF02-00132 Automatic Bird Feeder

Time-Release Feeder--Stays Full for Months

Wingscapes' latest innovation makes bird feeding easier than ever. Unlike conventional feeders, the AutoFeeder allows you to determine how much seed to offer--and when. The result: your feeder stays filled much longer and birds learn to visit your feeder at the times of day that you choose.

Battery-Powered Programmable Dispenser

How does it work? The AutoFeeder uses technology that Wingscapes' sister company (Moultrie Feeders) has used for two decades in deer feeders: a battery-powered mechanism, controlled by a programmable timer, dispenses seed throughout the day. You control when and how much seed is dispensed. Perfect for situations where frequent refilling is difficult.

Durably Built & Easy to Use

Constructed of metal and heavy ABS plastic, the AutoFeeder stands up to the elements--from the hot summer sun to winter's coldest snow and ice. The durably built feeder promises years of bird-watching enjoyment.”

My Initial Concerns

I was contacted by Wingscapes, who wanted to send me one of their battery-powered, automatic bird feeders and to let them know what my thoughts were about their innovative product. They told me that it was a feeder that disbursed food at timed intervals. In my mind I was thinking that while this may be good for other bird feeding stations, some of my concerns were the following:

1. My feeding station was a high traffic bird feeding station with up to 10 food offerings out at once.

2. It was to be tested in the Wintertime, typically a high demand period. Food is consumed fast and would this feeder keep up with the demand.

3. I’m usually hesitant to just toss any feeder in the station mix as this is a 24/7 live stream feeder station viewed by hundreds of folks in the course of a day. The feeder is quite large and I have limited space to test the feeder, unless it was a real winner.

4. With lots of eyes always on this feeder, would it fail to perform?

My Testing and Impressions

As mentioned in in concern #3 above, I have limited room. So, initially, I put it on the back pole and put Royal Wing’s Birdwatcher’s Banquet in the feeder. I didn’t fill it up, as the bin holds a full gallon of seed and this was a test and as I state in concern #4 above, I didn’t want a new product failing before hundreds of eyes.

Chipping Sparrows were the first birds to check out the new feeder. It was primarily due to the food which I put in the feeder, which was not really a surprise. But they seemed to like it because they like to feed on the ground and with competition between squirrels, chipmunks and other birds, these little birds often don’t get to feed in the garden trays below. A tray is easier for them than hanging on a peg.

Once other birds saw the chipping sparrows enjoying themselves, it wasn’t long before the House Finches started also feeding on it. Then Brown-headed Nuthatches, Tufted Titmouse and American Goldfinches. Wow! I decided that this feeder did deserve a more prominent spot in my feeding station! I moved it forward so the streaming viewers could enjoy the variety of birds it could draw and hold. I’m sure if I had put different food offerings in the bin to be dispensed, that would draw whatever birds feed on that particular offering.

With concerns #3 and 4 addressed, that still left concerns #1 and #2. Regarding concern #1 about if this feeder could compete with 9 other food offerings, it proved itself a worthy contender, enough to earn a spot up front in full view in the 24/7 video stream. Regarding concern #2 about whether the feeder could keep up with the high demand of wintering birds, it proved it could easily do so, as with the option to dispense more seed up to four times daily from a HUGE feeder bin, it was performing at only a 4 of 10 dispense setting! This means that I could have dialed it to about 10 oz. per dispensing event. But this could be because there were 9 other feeder options also producing food for the birds.

I have no doubt that if this were the only feeder, having four times a day at 10 oz. each, there will be enough food. However, I really can’t see how anyone could dial it up past maybe “5” or “6” using the feeder tray underneath it as it would overflow. The higher settings could be used when the feeder tray is removed and the feeder is dispensing to the ground or to a feed bucket. Even at a setting of “5”, I think will suit most higher demand situations.

Below is a collection of video clip excerpts of my morning Feeder Talks where the Wingscapes feeder is mentioned.

Conclusion

So, who is this product for?

1. Given the amount of innovation built into this feeder and the fact that it is built like a tank, this feeder has probably more applications than I can think of, as mentioned in the video above. This feeder is great for the person who works and doesn’t have quite the time to tend to the feeders, as it is like Ron Popeil’s “Set it and forget it” type of use. The large dry bin assures there will be food for whatever you are feeding, but you just need to experiment with the right settings for the particular supply and demand of the location of the feeder. Also be mindful that critters may also take an interest and ensure the feeder is placed with an effective squirrel and raccoon baffle that is placed at the appropriate height.

2. It would also be a great feeder if you feed at another location (like a second home, lake house or beach house) that you can only visit on weekends or maybe every two weeks. The feeder bin is that large, holding a full gallon, while keeping the feeder dry from the elements.

3. It is also a great option when you have to go on vacation. The only issue here is that if you have it set up to disperse only one kind of food (seeds and not not mealworms or suet nuggets), then you will only be feeding a segment of your intended birds. There are two options to overcome this. It would be to either create a mix of all foods offered and put it in the bin to dispense or to buy another one (or two) of these feeders with the other food offerings in them.

I like this feeder a lot and appreciate the thought that went into it. The large bin, reduces trips to the feeders, while knowing the food in the feeders stays dryer than in tube feeders that have open ports. The rain skirt, that also acts as a baffle, keeps the dispensed food in the feeding tray dry. The feeding tray is well designed and porous allowing any wet seed to dry. The heavy wire cage around where the food is dispensed also keeps critters from any destructive attempts to get to the feeder bin. The feeder bin is a tough ABS plastic that should last for years. Lastly, the feeder, for all it’s built-in innovation is attractive. Great job Wingscapes! You have a winner!