Urbanization and the destruction of natural habitats have significantly impacted bird populations, leading to a decline in nesting sites and reducing access to essential resources like food and water. According to government data, bird species in the UK have declined by 2% overall and by 7% in England since 2018. Our Smart Bird Feeder addresses these challenges by offering a sustainable, technology-driven solution to support urban bird populations. The feeder is designed to provide a safe and consistent source of food and water while being both eco-friendly and user-friendly. Equipped with smart sensors, the feeder measures bird weight, tracks feeding habits, and dispenses food efficiently to prevent overfeeding and minimise waste. It also features automatic water dispensing and a built-in speaker to deter unwanted animals, ensuring the food remains accessible to birds.
Let's Discover
Bird Feeders
Innovation Fest 2025
About Bird Feeders
UN SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Empowered and Driven:
Delivering Solutions for Global Issues
11 – Sustainable cities and econonmies: This goal aims to make cities inclusive, safe and sustainable. It focuses on improving urban living conditions, enhancing green spaces, reducing pollution, and ensuring access to safe and affordable housing and public services. By integrating smart and sustainable solutions, urban areas can become more environmentally friendly and livable.
15 – Life on land: This goal focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, combating biodiversity loss, and halting deforestation and habitat degradation. It emphasises the importance of conserving natural habitats and supporting wildlife to maintain ecosystem balance and protect biodiversity.
12 – Responsible consumption and production: The goal promotes sustainable management of resources and reducing waste through responsible production and consumption practices. It encourages businesses and individuals to minimise their environmental impact by adopting efficient production methods and responsible consumption habits, leading to more sustainable economic growth.
THE STORY BEGAN
DESIGN STORY
Challenges
Communication & Organization – At times we have struggled with effectively coordinating tasks and ensuring clear communication between all members. Limited Resources – Achieving our goal with restricted resources required creative problem-solving and efficient planning to make the most of what we had. Limited Experience – We as a team have limited experience in areas like hardware development, AI integration, or marketing, which posed challenges in executing certain aspects of the project.
Solution
Try to organise and schedule meetings to discuss and work on the project, be more clear when deciding who does what and update the group if someone can't make it to a meeting or lab. Try to find cost effective alternatives to expensive components as well as pitch in as a group to buy something if it is expensive but necessary. Use online resources such as text books, youtube videos or guides to help develop the necessary skills as well as working together on aspects to combine and share knowledge.
Use Case
Teachers/ schools – Our product could be used by teachers in schools to help instruct kids about the importance of birds and biodiversity, whilst making kids more conscious of the environment.
TECHNOLOGIES
List of Essential Tools and Technologies
THE PROCESS
PROTOTYPE DESIGN
Our prototype is the Smart Bird Feeder, designed to support urban bird populations while integrating sustainable technology. The feeder features a solar panel and rechargeable battery, making it suitable for both urban and rural environments. It includes automatic food and water dispensers that activate when birds are detected, reducing waste and maintaining hygiene. The feeder is equipped with weight sensors to measure bird mass, allowing for species identification and monitoring of feeding habits. A built-in camera records bird activity, which users can view through a mobile app. This data collection promotes community engagement and aids in wildlife monitoring. To maintain bird safety, the feeder has a speaker system to deter unwanted animals, such as stray cats. The modular design makes it easy to install in gardens, parks, and public spaces, while the use of recyclable materials aligns with eco-friendly practices. Our prototype demonstrates the integration of smart technology and sustainable features, addressing the challenges of habitat loss and food scarcity for birds. It is designed to reconnect people with nature while supporting urban biodiversity.
PLEDGE
Impact on the market
Our Smart Bird Feeder introduces a unique and timely solution to a growing need in both environmental conservation and urban sustainability. Unlike traditional bird feeders that focus solely on feeding or passive birdwatching, our product actively supports bird survival through automated, sensor-driven food and water systems, pest deterrence, and remote monitoring. In a market where products like Bird Buddy prioritise identification and entertainment, our feeder offers broader functionality, appealing not only to casual birdwatchers but also to educators, conservationists, and urban planners. By combining smart technology, solar-powered sustainability, and user-friendly design, the Smart Bird Feeder creates opportunities for interactive education, biodiversity monitoring, and green city planning. This innovative approach positions the product in a niche that blends environmental responsibility with cutting-edge technology, meeting rising consumer interest in eco-conscious, tech-enhanced solutions. As demand grows for products aligned with sustainability goals, our feeder can help set a new standard in wildlife support and smart environmental design.
RESULTS
FINAL PRODUCT
We began by identifying the issue of urban habitat loss for birds and researching its impact on biodiversity, supported by data, articles and reports. We then brainstormed potential solutions, focusing on how technology could support bird survival while encouraging community engagement. As a team, we explored various ideas and refined them based on feasibility, user needs, and environmental impact which led us to choosing the bird feeder. For the design/ prototyping stage, we used tools like Figma and Tinkercad to create digital mock-ups of the Smart Bird Feeder. This helped us visualise the structure and placement of components such as the weight sensor, camera, and food/water dispensers. We also looked at and examined potential integration of Arduino or Raspberry Pi to control the sensor systems, automate food/water dispensing, and connect to a mobile app for real-time monitoring. These platforms were chosen for their flexibility, low cost, and strong community support. Throughout the process, we continuously reviewed our design, shared feedback as a team, and made iterative improvements. This collaborative and tech-driven approach allowed us to develop a prototype that balances smart functionality with environmental sustainability.
