Watch Your Bluebirds From Inside the Nest Box

Adding a camera to your bluebird setup takes the whole experience to another level — and it's fun for all ages. Watching eggs hatch and babies grow from your phone is one of those rare things the whole family genuinely gets excited about. Here are the two approaches we recommend depending on your budget and how hands-on you want to be.

Cute cartoon bird with brown body, blue wings, and large eyes flying.
Cute animated bird with big eyes, open beak, gray feathers with white spots, and blue wings.

The DIY Setup (Budget Friendly)

This is the setup we recommend for families who want an affordable DIY option. A Blink camera popped inside the nest box connects straight to your phone and is incredibly easy to set up. Add a small solar panel on top to keep it charged so you never have to think about the battery. If you already have a security camera system with a spare camera to spare, this is the easiest and most affordable route you'll find.

A birdhouse mounted on a post in a forested backyard, with a bird sitting inside, and a patio umbrella with a metal pole in the foreground.

The All-In-One (Ready Right Out of the Box)

If you want something designed specifically for nest watching with zero setup hassle, Birdfy is the one to look at. The camera is already built in and connects straight to their app on your phone. We've had our eye on this one — it's the upgrade option we'd choose for someone who wants everything ready to go from day one.

Birdfy offers two options depending on how much you want to see — one with a camera inside the house only, and one with cameras both inside and outside. The inside camera shows you the nest and eggs up close, while the outside camera lets you watch the birds coming and going. If you're doing this with kids, the dual camera option is pretty special.

One thing worth knowing before you buy — Birdfy offers both a free and paid tier. The free version includes live viewing and motion alerts which is honestly all you need for a bluebird setup where you already know what bird you're watching. The paid tier adds AI bird recognition and cloud storage if you want to take it further.

Blue line drawing of a house, a dog, and a wheelchair.

Which One Is Right for You?

Close-up of a bird in a nest with straw, viewed from above.
A table with three columns and five rows, containing text and icons such as a checkmark, a white circle, an orange arrow, and a red downward arrow.

DIY Blink Setup -easiest and cheapest

→ Compare prices- Blink + solar is usually more affordable

Birdfy is cleaner gift option

A bird's nest with four hatchlings and three pale blue eggs.
Five blue eggs in a bird's nest made of dry grass.
Three young birds in a nest inside a wooden cavity.

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Wooden birdhouse mounted on a post with a sign that reads 'The Bluebird Inn,' set on grass with rocks at the base.
Cover of children's book titled 'Anna Marie and the Bluebird Inn,' featuring a girl with brown hair holding a birdhouse, with trees, a white picket fence, and birds in the background; inside pages show a nest with blue eggs and a handwritten note about bluebirds.
Icon of three human figures, one smaller in front, representing a family or group.