How Do I Adjust Motion Detection Sensitivity?
Quick Answer
Open the BirdSnap app, tap your camera's settings icon, go to Motion Detection → Detection Sensitivity, and choose High, Medium, or Low. For most setups, Medium is the recommended starting point — it detects birds reliably while reducing false triggers from wind and background movement.
What's Happening
The BirdSnap camera uses a PIR (passive infrared) sensor to detect motion. This sensor responds to changes in heat and movement within its field of view. Sensitivity controls how easily the sensor triggers: a higher setting means the sensor responds to smaller or more distant changes in the environment, while a lower setting requires a more significant change to trigger a recording.
How to Adjust Sensitivity
Step 1 — Open the BirdSnap app and tap the settings icon on your camera tile or live view (top right corner).
Step 2 — Tap Motion Detection.
Step 3 — Tap Detection Sensitivity and choose from:
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| High | Most sensitive — detects distant and subtle movement. More likely to trigger on wind, light changes, and background objects. Consumes more battery. |
| Medium (recommended) | Balanced — detects most bird visits reliably while reducing false triggers from wind and passing objects. |
| Low | Least sensitive — only triggers on movement in close proximity to the camera. May miss birds at the edges of the feeder. Conserves battery. |
Step 4 — Your selection saves automatically and takes effect immediately.
Which Setting Is Right for You?
Start with Medium. This is BirdSnap's recommended setting for most outdoor feeder locations. It reliably detects birds landing on or approaching the feeder without excessive false triggers.
Switch to High if:
- You are missing bird visits that appear on the live stream but don't trigger recordings
- Birds are landing at the edge of the feeder and not being detected
- You are in a sheltered location with minimal background movement
Switch to Low if:
- You are getting many clips with no birds — triggered by wind, swaying plants, or passing vehicles
- Battery is draining faster than expected due to frequent triggers
- The feeder is close to a road or busy path
Sensitivity and Battery Life
Each motion trigger wakes the camera fully and records a clip. On High sensitivity in a busy environment, the camera can trigger dozens of times per hour, significantly accelerating battery drain. Medium or Low sensitivity in such environments can meaningfully extend the time between charges.
When to Contact Support
If adjusting sensitivity does not reduce false triggers, the camera's placement may be the underlying cause — see the related article on reducing false triggers. If the sensitivity menu does not appear in your app, update to the latest version of BirdSnap.
- Email: support@birdsnap.com
- Phone: +1 573-514-4826
- Live chat: Available at BirdSnap.com
- In-app chat: Tap the chat icon in the BirdSnap app
- Facebook Messenger: Message us via our official Facebook page
Our support team is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time.
