Bird Buddy’s birdfeeder cameras notify birders of backyard visitors – but the brand’s next project is a self-contained ecosystem that not only attracts birds and pollinators but tracks them, creating documentary-like narrated videos in the process. Wonder Blocks is a modular backyard nature observatory system that can be customized to attract, track, and observe a wide variety of different birds and pollinators.
Bird Buddy is known for its birdfeeder camera, but the backyard smart camera brand is now working to create a self-contained system that not only photographs backyard visitors but attracts, feeds, and shelters them too. After teasing the idea during CES 2025, Wonder Blocks has now launched on Kickstarter, exceeding its original goal by ten times in a matter of hours.
Wonder Blocks is a modular system that starts with a self-watering planter base surrounded by a “moat” that provides a source of water for bugs and birds. At the bottom of that planter is a mini bee habitat, complete with a drawer to hide a camera inside to watch the inner workings of the hive.
Above the planter, the Wonder Blocks can use an observation pole, or a full trellis for mounting cameras. But outside of placing the Petal camera on the pole and trellis, the modular system also offers a butterfly shelter, butterfly feeder, and humming bird feeder that can all attach to the magnetic trellis.
But while the planter and array of feeders and shelters are designed to attract birds and pollinators, the Petal camera is designed so homeowners don’t miss important moments happening right in the backyard. In fact, the Petal camera doesn’t just send users photos, but can use AI to create narrated BBC-Earth-style mini documentaries about those backyard visitors.
The feature is powered by the Petal camera, a camera designed specifically for nature observation. Like the birdfeeder cameras by Bird Buddy, Petal uses AI to recognize backyard visitors. But, Petal also has a macro lens option that allows the camera to observe and recognize bugs and butterflies as well as birds. The Petal camera will be capable of recognizing more than 2,000 different species, the company says.
Nature Intelligence also tracks and monitors changes in behavior or patterns. The feature feels like the FitBit of backyard conservation, notifying users when they had more pollinators visit than the previous week.
Wonder Blocks’ goal is to make backyard conservation smarter. The Wonder Blocks base will customize the included seed mix based on the location. The company says that Wonder Blocks is built from materials that are weather-proof and made to last for years, yet are biodegradable.
Like the original Bird Buddy, Wonder Blocks is launching on Kickstarter. Supporting a crowdfunding campaign comes with some risks, but the Wonder Blocks campaign raised more than $1 million in the first four hours, far beyond the original $100,000 goal. According to the Kickstarter timeline, however, the company doesn’t expect to begin shipping to backers until June 2026.
Pledges come in at a range of price points, depending on which features of the modular system are included in the kit. The full list of accessories and features comes bundled in the Wonder Blocks Hero Max, which is on Kickstarter for $749 / £560 / AU$1,171, which is 42 percent lower than the expected retail price. The basic Wonder Blocks set with the planter, pole, and petal camera is $299 / £224 / AU$468, while the system with the full trellis hummingbird feeder, butterfly shelter, and two petal cameras is $499 / £373 / AU$780. The AI-powered petal camera will also sell on its own for a $129 / £97 / AU$202 pledge.
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