Woman Sets Up Bird Feeder Cam to Capture Close-Ups of Feathered Friends

lisa m ca bird photo booth close-up photography

Northern Cardinal

When Lisa M. Ca moved from Germany to Macomb County, Michigan, she was instantly drawn to the area’s unique bird population. Aiming to learn more about her new neighbors, she purchased a feeder cam—a seed dish that doubles as a special fowl-friendly camera—to create a collection of up-close-and-personal portraits of her feathery friends.

When she first moved to Macomb County, Ca noticed striking similarities and differences between her new neighborhood and her homeland. While Michigan’s seasonal weather patterns seemed to be strikingly similar to Germany’s, she was surprised to find its native birds were an entirely different story. Inspired by the beautiful blue jays, radiant cardinals, and chirping chickadees that regularly visited her backyard, she decided to research the best way to photograph them. “I wanted to get a little closer and started researching what cameras are out there as a little addition to my DSLR,” she told Detroit’s Metro Times.

Compatible with smartphones and tablets, the feeder cam is a high-tech spin on the classic bird feeder. By discreetly placing a camera-equipped device behind the bowl of birdseed, the photographer is able to sneakily capture exquisite photographs of the birds as they eat. Then, through either WiFi or a Bluetooth connection, the ingenious invention “lets you remotely watch, photograph, video, and even talk to backyard birds in real time.” Ca opted to share her photos on Facebook, where they quickly went viral. Now, you can find her unique collection of birds’-eye view shots on her bird-centric blog.