← Back to BirdWatchAI

🚀 Getting Started with BirdWatchAI

Welcome to BirdWatchAI! This guide will help you get up and running in just a few minutes.

What You'll Need

🎥 Recommended Camera We recommend the TAPO C120 (~$30) for its excellent 2K quality, weatherproof design, and easy RTSP setup. See our TAPO C120 Setup Guide for detailed instructions.

Quick Start Guide

1

Download & Install

Download BirdWatchAI from our download page and run the installer. The installation takes about 2 minutes.

2

Run the Setup Wizard

On first launch, the Setup Wizard guides you through:

  • Camera connection (RTSP URL configuration)
  • Your location (zip code for weather & bird rarity)
  • Notification preferences (email and/or Pushover)
3

Start Monitoring

Click the "Start Monitoring" button, and BirdWatchAI will begin watching your feeder. When a bird appears, the AI will identify the species and save a snapshot.

4

Get Notified

If you've set up notifications, you'll receive alerts on your phone whenever a bird is detected. Each notification includes a photo and the identified species.

Setting Up Your Camera

BirdWatchAI connects to your camera via RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol). Most IP cameras support RTSP, but setup varies by brand.

Camera-Specific Guides

📹 General RTSP URL Format

Most cameras use a URL like:

rtsp://username:password@192.168.1.xxx:554/stream

The exact format depends on your camera brand. Common paths include /stream1, /live, or /h264.

Setting Up Notifications

Email Notifications

Get bird detection alerts sent to your email with photos attached.

  1. Go to Settings → Email
  2. Enable email notifications
  3. Enter your SMTP settings (Gmail works great)
  4. For Gmail: Use an App Password, not your regular password

Pushover Notifications (Recommended)

Pushover delivers instant push notifications to your phone with attached photos.

  1. Create an account at pushover.net
  2. Install the Pushover app on your phone ($5 one-time purchase)
  3. Create an application at pushover.net to get an API token
  4. Enter your User Key and API Token in BirdWatchAI settings

Tips for Best Results

📍 Camera Placement
⚙️ Confidence Threshold

The default 70% confidence threshold works well for most setups. If you're getting too many false positives, increase it to 80%. If you're missing birds, try lowering it to 60%.

🌅 Daylight Hours

Enable "Monitor during daylight hours only" to avoid false detections at night and save resources when birds aren't active.

Need Help?