Wingscapes Birdcam Discovery User Manual
DISCOVERY GUIDE
Featuring 65 Color Photos from Wingscapes BirdCams
Learn About Favorite Foods
Get to Know the Birds in Your Backyard
by Bill Thompson, III
a special
publication from
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y name is Bart Stephens, and I’m
M
privileged with the opportunity
to lead the team of dedicated folks at
Wingscapes, makers of the BirdCam.
Development of the rst BirdCam
began in 2006. Our goal was simple
and remains so today: deliver a reliable,
easy-to-use camera that takes excellent photos and videos of backyard
wildlife while the user is away. Time,
trial and error, and countless hours of
prototype testing in my backyard led
us to the Original BirdCam, which was
introduced in 2007. Advanced features
included a “smart” motion sensor that
was triggered by bird movement, yet
ignored movement from bird feeders
and tree-branches. e simple, no-tool
design allowed users to begin using
their BirdCam minutes after unpacking
it. e rugged, weatherproof case and
long battery life made the BirdCam a
low-maintenance tool.
Response to that initial BirdCam
was very positive. Almost immediately, we began receiving photos from
satis ed customers around the U.S.
(and the world). BirdCam owners
were discovering how this tool could
give you a deeper, more candid, more
intimate view of the natural world.
BirdCammers began sharing their
images online with friends and family.
Driven by word of mouth and referral,
the BirdCam concept began to catch on
with nature enthusiasts everywhere.
We’ve since introduced two subsequent
models: e Audubon BirdCam and the
BirdCam 2.0 with Flash. In 2013, we
proudly introduced our most advanced
product ever: the BirdCam PRO.
One of the unexpected joys of
working at Wingscapes has been the
connection we’ve made with passionate
BirdCam users around the world. Every
day we have the thrill of reviewing the
latest images submitted to our online
BirdCam Photo Gallery.
It is our honor to celebrate and
share some of our favorite images with
you in this booklet. All images in this
booklet were taken with one of our
BirdCams. As you look through the gallery of birds, we hope you see how the
Wingscapes BirdCam lets you see your
backyard birds in a new way, revealing
details of bird behavior that we rarely, if
ever, get to see.
—Bart Stephens,
General Manager, Wingscapes
PS - We’d certainly love to see your
BirdCam images! If you’d like to share
them with us and be considered for
a future edition of the Wingscapes
BirdCam Discovery Guide, please upload images to our online photo gallery
wingscapes.com/photogallery
150 Industrial Road • Alabaster, AL 35007
www.wingscapes.com
Toll free: (888) 811-WING (9464)
Offi ce Hours: Mon-Fri, 9am - 4:30pm, CST
•WingscapesPhotoGallery:(wingscapes.com/photogallery)•facebook.com/wingscapes•
•youtube.com/wingscapes•flickr.com/groups/wingscapes/•
•@wingscapes(ortweetwithhashtags#birdcamor#timelapsecam)•
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by Bill Thompson, III
DISCOVERY GUIDE
and the Editors of Bird Watcher’s Digest
Contents
How to Set Up and Enjoy 2
Your Wingscapes BirdCam
Happiness is a well-positioned BirdCam
BirdCam Photos—Birds 4
Favorite photos of birds from BirdCam users
BirdCam Photos—Other Animals 28
Favorite photos of different wildlife
from BirdCam users
Wingscapes Product Catalog 32
Cameras and accessories
BACKYARD BIRD DISCOVERY GUIDE was produced by the
s t a ff o f Bird Watcher’s Digest: Bill ompson, III, Booklet Editor
and Booklet; Claire M. Mullen, Production Director; Kyle Carlsen,
Writer and photo research; Jim Cirigliano, BWD Managing
Editor; Cover photographs: American gold nches—by Adam,
Eastern Bluebird—by Cher Layton, Eastern Towhee—by David
Lindquist.
Bird Watcher’s Digest is published by Pardson Corporation,
P.O. Box 110, Marietta, Ohio 45750. To order additional copies
of Backyard Bird Discovery Guide or other booklets such as
ENJOYING BIRD FEEDING MORE, ENJOYING PURPLE
MARTINS MORE, ENJOYING BLUEBIRDS MORE, and EN-
JOYING HUMMINGBIRDS MORE, or for BWD subscription
information, call us toll-free at 1-800-879-2473.
DAVID LINDQUIST
JAMES ROY
MARCUS SHARPE
birdwatchersdigest.com
© 2012 by Bird Watcher’s Digest Press
Pardson Corporation, PO Box 110, Marietta, OH 45750
WINGSCAPES Backyard Bird Discovery Guide
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800-879-2473
Happiness
is well-placed
BirdCam.
The key to taking great BirdCam
photos and videos is proper
T
mounting and placement of the
BirdCam. One reason the BirdCam captures such unique images is that it can be positioned
very close to wild birds without
frightening them. Most BirdCam
photos are taken within three
feet of their subjects. BirdCam
users aim their BirdCams at a
wide variety of targets: bird
feeders, bird houses, nests, bird
baths, common perches, etc. Accordingly, we designed the BirdCam so that it can be mounted
many dierent ways. Take a
moment to learn more about
mounting your BirdCam properly,
and you will quickly see improvement in your images.
Basic Principles
1.Stability—Mount the BirdCam
securely so that it does not
move. It should never be hung
from above or mounted to an
object that moves in the wind.
If the BirdCam is moving, it will
cause the motion sensor to trigger incorrectly.
2.Focus—Note that the BirdCam
lens can be focused manually.
This is a snap. Use the included
measuring tape to measure the
distance between the BirdCam
and its target. Set the lens accordingly.
3.Lighting—As with all cameras,
it is best to avoid aiming the
BirdCam at the source of light
(for instance, the sun). Ideally
during daytime, position the
BirdCam so it is facing its target, e.g. a bird feeder, but facing
away from the sun.
On the Ground
For ground-loving birds, set up
is simple. Just position your BirdCam directly on the ground. If
you’re concerned about it falling
over, use the included straps to
secure the BirdCam to the base
of a tree, a post, or other solid
feature (a brick works great).
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Tripods
For very precise placement and
aiming, no mounting method will
beat a camera tripod. A standard
threaded tripod mount (¼"-20)
is embedded into the bottom
of every BirdCam. (Later models also have a second mount
embedded in the rear of the
camera). This allows users to attach the BirdCam to any tripod
or any of thousands of 3rd-party
camera mounting accessories—
providing users with a world of
creative opportunities through
angle and height adjustment.
Mounting Straps
The BirdCam 2 stretch cords to
facilitate mounting. You will find
slots in the rear of the BirdCam
through which a cord can be
threaded. These slots can also
accept a hook from a stretchcord. Many users will tighten the
BirdCam to a tree, then wedge
a stick or piece of bark between
the BirdCam and the tree to
facilitate aiming.
Mounting Arm
Accessories
Wingscapes oers two optional
mounting accessories for the
BirdCam:
BirdCam Mounting Arm
(WSBR01) and
Outdoor Camera Mounting
Bracket (WSBR02).
Both accessories allow you to
easily mount the BirdCam to a
common bird feeder pole, a post,
a stake, a wall, or a tree. The
primary dierence between these
two is that the BirdCam Mounting
Arm is longer. Numerous angle
settings and 360° rotation make
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these mounting arms one of the
most versatile setup options.
Your Wingscapes BirdCam
oers nearly limitless mounting opportunities, allowing you
to capture images of wildlife in
practically any situation.
To read more about attracting
birds to your feeder and
BirdCam, visit our website at
www.wingscapes.com.
Boat-tailed
Grackles
I enjoy using my BirdCam
so much because there
is always an element of
surprise when I look at the
pictures at the end of the
day. It is exciting because
I never know what I’ll see!
BirdCam has taken pictures
of birds that I didn’t even
know existed in our yard!
—Pam Winegar
About the bird: ese large, glossy
black birds favor salt marshes and
other open coastal areas and are seldom found far from water. ey will
eat just about anything, from seeds to
snakes.
Range: Common resident along
the Southeastern coast and throughout Fla.
About the photo: ese male
grackles are engaged in an interesting threat display known as sky
pointing, during which the birds
drop their wings and raise their bills
vertically in order to, in this case,
intimidate rival males. Luckily Pam’s
BirdCam was in place to record this
fascinating behavior.
Photograph by: Pam Winegar with
a BirdCam (original).
PHOTOS: PAM WINEGAR
4 An Identification Guide to Common Backyard Birds
4 WINGSCAPES Backyard Bird Discovery Guide
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ADAM
MARCUS SHARPE
American Goldfinch
About the bird: A welcome visi-
tor to any backyard, the American
Goldnch is sometimes called the
“wild canary” due to the male’s bright
yellow summer plumage.
Range: Resident across most of
North America; breeds into Canada
but absent in winter.
About the photo: A strategically
placed BirdCam captures a pair of
golnches on a sunower head.
Photographed by: Adam with an
Audubon BirdCam.
American Robin
About the bird: Despite their
reputation as a sign of spring’s arrival,
American Robins are found in many
parts of the U.S. year-round.
Range: Common in summer
throughout North America; winters
commonly in southern U.S.
About the photo: A wisely placed
BirdCam captures a ock of robins
looking for a drink.
Photographed by: Marcus
Sharpe with a BirdCam (original).
Anna’s Hummingbird
About the bird: Unique among the
hummingbirds, the male Anna’s is an
adept singer, often singing from an
exposed perch in his territory.
Range: Resident from southern
Vancouver; south along Pacic Coast.
About the photo: Humming-
birds are notoriously aggressive. Here
a male Anna’s (far left) and a Rufous
Hummingbird (right) ght for a spot
at the feeder.
Photographed by: Ginger
GINGER BACHEM
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Bachem with a BirdCam 2.0.
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
About the bird: A skilled hunter,
the Belted Kingsher feeds mostly
on small sh, so these birds are rarely
found far from water.
Range: Resident across most of
North America; breeds into Canada
but absent in winter.
About the photo: Here is a nice,
full-frame shot of a kingsher that
was looking for sh below the dock.
Photographed by: Bart Stephens
with a BirdCam (original).
Black-capped Chickadee
About the bird: is familiar bird
is named for its call, a lively “chick-a-
dee-dee-dee.”
Range: Resident in northern two-
thirds of North America; replaced in
the South by Carolina Chickadee.
About the photo: is particular
chickadee is boldly defending its place
at the feeder from an intruding Red-
breasted Nuthatch.
Photographed by: Bob Mitchell
with a BirdCam (original).
BART STEPHENSBOB MITCHELLJAMES ROY
Blue Jay
About the bird: is large
songbird is easily identied by its blue
plumage and conspicuous crest.
Range: Resident in eastern two-
thirds of North America; northern
birds move south in winter.
About the photo: Blue Jays are
infamous for driving away other
birds and taking control of backyard
feeders, but they are, in fact, beauti-
ful birds! Here, two jays scope out a
feeder.
Photographed by: James Roy
with a BirdCam (original).
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Bald Eagle
About the bird: Once pushed to
the edge of extinction by the use of
harmful pesticides such as DDT, the
Bald Eagle is now making a steady
comeback throughout North America.
Range: Most abundant in Alaska
and western Canada; winters across
most of the U.S.
About the photo: is photo
captures an adult Bald Eagle from its
high vantage point studying the
surrounding landscape for prey.
Photograph by: Shirley & Wayne
Grossman with a BirdCam (original).
One summer we took our BirdCam
with us to Homer, Alaska. We were
sitting out in a friend’s gazebo when
a flock of Sandhill Cranes flew overhead. They circled and landed in the
grass right next to us. We set up the
BirdCam and excitedly watched as it
took the most amazing shots. We sat quietly in the gazebo,
surrounded by 32 of these magnificent birds—a magical day
which we will never forget.
—Shirley & Wayne Grossman
7 An Identification Guide to Common Backyard Birds
7
WINGSCAPES Backyard Bird Discovery Guide
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PHOTOS: SHIRLEY & WAYNE GROSSMAN
Blue Tit
About the bird: A familiar bird
of European woodlands and gar-
dens, the Blue Tit is related to North
America’s chickadees and titmice.
Range: Resident throughout much
of Europe.
About the photo: is Blue Tit
paused during feeding for the camera.
Photographed by: Wayne Starr
with a BirdCam 2.0.
Brown Thrasher
About the bird: ese birds
are talented mimics, meaning they
imitate the sounds of other birds, just
like mockingbirds and catbirds.
Range: Fairly common in summer
throughout eastern two-thirds
of U.S.; year-round resident in
southern U.S.
About the photo: rashers
sometimes visit backyard feeding
stations for seed scattered on the
ground.
Photographed by: Paul Fagala
with an Audubon BirdCam.
WAYNE STARRPAUL FAGALAJEFF
Bullock’s Oriole
About the bird: e Bullock ’s
Oriole was once lumped together with
the Baltimore Oriole as a single
species: Northern Oriole.
Range: Summers in western one-
third of U.S., north into Canada.
About the photo: Placing a Bird-
Cam near a birdbath can be a great
way to capture multiple species in one
image. Here, a Bullock’s Oriole takes a
dip with a Western Bluebird.
Photographed by: Je with a
BirdCam (original).
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SHIRLEY & WAYNE GROSSMAN
JIM WRIGHT
NANCY
Gambel's Quail
About the bird: e dark fore-
head and belly spot of the adult male
Gambel's Quail help dierentiate it
from the similar California Quail.
Range: Resident in the desert
Southwest from west Texas to southeastern Calif.
About the photo: Gambel's quail
frequently visit suburban areas for
scattered seed and for water.
Photographed by: Shirley &
Wayne Grossman with a BirdCam
(original).
Carolina Wren
About the bird: ese birds
love to talk. Listen for their familiar
“teakettle, teakettle, teakettle” call in
wooded areas and backyards throughout the East.
Range: Resident in southeastern
U.S. from Pa. to Fla. and from Iowa
to Te x a s.
About the photo: While investi-
gating an interesting backyard food
source, this Carolina Wren struck the
perfect pose for Jim’s BirdCam.
Photographed by: Jim Wright
with a BirdCam 2.0.
Cedar Waxwing
About the bird: e Cedar
Waxwing is often found in large
ocks throughout North America,
searching for berries and insects.
Range: Summers in Canada and
winters in southern U.S.; resident in
northern U.S.
About the photo: is backyard
water source caught the attention of
a few robins, soon to be joined by two
waxwings, pictured in ight.
Photographed by: Nancy with a
BirdCam 2.0.
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Chipping Sparrow
About the bird: is sparrow's
song is a long, single-note trill often
compared to the sound of a sewing
machine.
Range: Breeds throughout North
America; winters in Southern states.
About the photo: is photo
shows the Chipping Sparrow in its
winter nonbreeding plumage. During
breeding season, these sparrows show
a little more color.
Photographed by: Chuck Fulmer
with a BirdCam (original).
Common Ground Dove
About the bird: ese tiny doves
are scarcely larger than a sparrow.
Range: Resident in southernmost
parts of U.S., from S.C. to Calif.
About the photo: is dove’s
lunch is interrupted by a surprise ap-
pearance from a corn snake in eastern
Florida. e bird’s reddish-brown
wings are evident in this photo.
Photographed by: Pam Winegar
with a BirdCam (original)
CHUCK FULMERPAM WINERGARDAVID BAEHR
Cooper’s Hawk
About the bird: ese compact
hawks are built to maneuver skillfully
through woodlands as they chase
other birds, their preferred food
source.
Range: Breeds in North America
south of central Canada; moves south
in winter.
About the photo: A family group
of Cooper’s hawks gathers around a
birdbath in David’s Arizona backyard;
these birds are about two months old.
Photographed by: David Baehr
with a BirdCam 2.0.
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