Currently there are two stand-alone, IoT products on the market that will identify the sounds/songs of birds and allow a user to view the data via an app and/or website. There are a few more devices in development, but at the time of my testing I only tested the two currently available: HaikuBox and the BirdWeather PUC. Both use the BirdNET research platform’s API and both have apps and websites. For testing purposes I setup two of devices outside my office window with a control of sorts being the existing YouTube stream of the garden that for the last two years has had its audio feed sucked up into the BirdWeather data world. I also setup a second Haiku and BirdWeather PUC at the other end of the house yard near the garden shed on the edge of the south pasture.

We’ll start with the overview of what the Haikubox offers: the granular details are in the large table below, so this is just a summary. For anywhere between $199USD and $399USD (plus shipping) a user receives a stand alone device in a hard outer shell with an attached 110v power supply and cable. Bluetooth setup via a second app is quick and easy and both the primary app’s UI and the tandem website are pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate. After spending several weeks with the devices it became apparent early on that you really want to pay for a subscription if you are serious about tracking what birds visit and when —plus a paid sub gives you access to notifications. It’s really cool to have your phone or watch pop up a notification that a new species has been detected. I found the sensitivity levels for detections easy to understand but they don’t seem to translate into data exports yet there is a score value included which is pretty much the same thing. Both the app and website have the ability to confirm detections or mark them as inaccurate. About the only serious drawback to the device is that it is not portable: while it’s bandwidth consumption is relatively low, it does want constant power and is thus not suitable for taking on a hike or birdwatching excursion.

The BirdWeather PUC is a newer offering and started shipping late last year. It is KickStarterproject for which I was a top tier monetary sponsor. As a result I received five of the units plus a few extra bits. Unlike the Haiku offerings there is no subscription fee and the unit costs $249USD plus shipping. The units are initially battery powered, although with a low power draw one can easily use the USB-C port to connect them to mains power or to an adequate solar/battery setup. Ideal for the mobile birder -- although getting the settings right for the unit to behave as a persistent listening station takes a bit of work: at the time of writing this summary, even with the recommended Voltaic solar panel and battery setup none my units will maintain a persistent listening state. In addition, configuration of a device is through a phone/tablet app, but because there is not a user login system in place so can only easily manage a unit from a single device and there is quite a bit of fiddling required to allow a second phone/tablet to manage a unit. While the app does allow auser to view data — the BirdWeather website offers much more powerful filters plus only via the website can one confirm/reject detections — something the Haiku app does include.

Now if you want to know if there is a "winner"-- right now, hands down I prefer the HaikuBoxes. They're so easy to setup, so fun to use (the notifications on my watch are awesome although by the time I run through the house to get out near the garden shed because a White-Throated Swift has been detected, it's not in sight.). The BirdWeather PUC isn't a bad product and is awesome if you are out an about, but without a single account system it's a bit limited. The devs are working on more and more features though, so it probably won't be long before it is just as fun to use as the HaikuBox.

In addition to the general product review, I created combined data exports, but gauging microphone and detection validity proves difficult because all tested setups suffer from a bit of lag and said lag varies by device/recording method.  Sometime in the future I may run the devices side-by-side again and delve deeper into the recordings.  That said, the exports are linked in the table below.

Haiku no Sub

BirdWeather PUC (02)

BirdWeather Stream (YouTube)

Haiku + Sub

BirdWeather PUC (03)

North Office Testing

Garden Shed Testing

Testing Location

North Office window

North Office Window

Eaves above North Office Northeast Window

Installed on east exterior wall of shed: drilled hole through wall to allow power to be run from inside the shed.

Pooldeck by shed, connected to external power to provide stable connectivity

Cost

$199 ($59/yr) or $249 for box + 1yr sub) https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/ 1/0772/4171/2930/files/ Haikubox_Membership_Comparison.pdf? v=1698865523

$249 (no subscription required)

N/a

$399 (includes 5yr sub) https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/ 1/0772/4171/2930/files/ Haikubox_Membership_Comparison.pdf? v=1698865523

$249 (no subscription required)

Shipping Materials

Eco Friendly: recyclable bag and all cardboard packaging

Re-usable box (great for organizing drawers) but a non-recyclable removable foam insert. Arrived in standard cardboard box   

Stream handled by a current 2023 Mac Studio with 64GB of RAM running Sonoma. Stream is setup in OBS and pushed to Restream which then sends it to Twitch and Youtube. The stream uses a combination of ReoLink, Amcrest and Logitech cameras. A series of macros change which camera is active on the stream at regular intervals but only audio from one source is utilized.data/Combined-PUC3-Haiku-Shed-4-18-Detections-codedCombined-Stream-PUC2-Haiku-4-18-coded.html

Eco Friendly: recyclable bag and all cardboard packaging

Re-usable box (great for organizing drawers) but a non-recyclable removable foam insert. Arrived in standard cardboard box

Product Packaging Images

N/A

Product Packaging Images

N/A

Haiku no Sub

BirdWeather PUC (02)

BirdWeather Stream (YouTube)

Haiku + Sub

BirdWeather PUC (03)

Product Images

Internal Images

Build Quality

Surprisingly Good. Like I didn’t expect things to be so tidy as it looks like off the shelf parts, but the CB is custom and the box is sized well.

Good: very compact sensors to detect motion. Micro SD card is removable.

User Dependent.

Surprisingly Good. Like I didn’t expect things to be so tidy as it looks like off the shelf parts, but the CB is custom and the box is sized well.

Good: very compact sensors to detect motion. Micro SD card is removable.

Haiku 1 Card is smaller and microphone is on the front of the unit.

Dual microphones

Current configuration uses an Amcrest PoE 8M with gain set to roughly 33%

Haiku 2 Card is larger and microphone is at the bottom of the unit.

Dual microphones

Power Source and its Convenience

Large PS included: unable to decouple easily similar to larger Haiku enclosure.

3AA Batteries: battery life middling to poor.

< 1 day

Can be powered by USB C. Current testing with Solar panel fails within a day. Tried second panel + battery pack option. Still fiddly.

Using PoE camera able to continuously monitor audibly and visually.

Large PS included: unable to decouple easily. By removing outer shell and releasing the wee clamps was able to remove power cable so unit could be placed outside the garden shed and powered from inside outlet.

3AA Batteries: battery life middling to poor.

< 1 day

Can be powered by USB C. Current testing with Solar panel fails within a day. Tried second panel + battery pack option. Still fiddly.

Mounting

Enclosure has screw holes for easy mounting.

Has a plastic cradle with female 1/4” screw thread for mounting to a tripod. Optional mini-tripod/grip available.

Standard three point screw mounting.

Enclosure has screw holes for easy mounting.

Has a plastic cradle with female 1/4” screw thread for mounting to a tripod. Optional mini-tripod/grip available.

Internal Storage

None

Internal 32GB Micro SD

Can upload data later and then purge from card — useful if not in network range.

Fiddly to remove

None at this time: OBS could record but Twitch/YouTube already archive recordings.

None

Internal 32GB Micro SD

Can upload data later and then purge from card — useful if not in network range.

Fiddly to remove

Portable

Not really

Yes

No

Not really

Yes

Haiku no Sub

BirdWeather PUC (02)

BirdWeather Stream (YouTube)

Haiku + Sub

BirdWeather PUC (03)

Installation

Easy but requires standalone app. Uses Bluetooth.

A little feisty: must babysit. Done from single app. Uses Bluetooth.

User defined

Easy but requires standalone app. Uses Bluetooth.

A little feisty: must babysit. Done from single app. Uses Bluetooth.

Configuration Notes

Able to set device name. Location services automatic.

Able to set device name. Geolocation sometime wonky

OBS to Restream to Youtube to Twitch. Birdweather then picks up the stream to analyze data.

Able to set device name. Location services automatic.

Able to set device name. Probability and Confidence settings available.

Continous vs Smart Recording option

Firmware Tested

Unknown: per devs updates do occur but no visibility for end user.

v1.37

N/A

Unknown: per devs updates do occur but no visibility for end user.

V1.37

Upgrades

Not aware of any currently

Fairly frequent firmware upgrades

User/Host Computer depedant

Fairly frequent firmware upgrades

Frequent Firmware upgrades

Network Connectivity

Adequate: easy to connect to the network

Adequate: easy to connect to the network

RTSP to OBS to Restream to Youtube to Birdweather

Adequate: easy to connect to the network

Adequate: easy to connect to the network

Network Consumption (1d)

303MB

1.13GB

29.3GB

235MB

1.53GB

Network Other

Solely SSL

Data over HTTP

Pings WeatherChannel Servers

RTMP

Data over HTTP

Pings WeatherChannel Servers

Geo Location and Privacy

Can be hidden

Can be hidden. Defaults to random location if offline for too long.

Manual

Can be hidden

Can be hidden. Defaults to seemingly random location if offline for too long.

Extra Hardware/ Features

None

Accelerometer: good for mobile birdwatching

Also has weather related sensors Light sensor as well

Video Feeds

None

Accelerometer: good for mobile birdwatching

Also has weather related sensors Light sensor as well

General Operation

Set and Go

Setup and monitor: battery life major concern.

Ability to schedule monitoring would be great.

Automation a bit difficult, but once done stopping/restarting stream becomes efficient.

Set and Go

Setup and monitor: battery life major concern.

Ability to schedule monitoring would be great.

Listening Options

Live Continous vs Smart Recording option

Blue double-blink: Live Station mode, connected to WiFi.

Green double-blink: Recording Mode, not connected to WiFi so storing recordings for future upload.

Purple double-blink: Uploading Mode, connected to WiFi and uploading recordings stored in Recording mode.

Live Continous vs Smart Recording option

Blue double-blink: Live Station mode, connected to WiFi.

Green double-blink: Recording Mode, not connected to WiFi so storing recordings for future upload.

Purple double-blink: Uploading Mode, connected to WiFi and uploading recordings stored in Recording mode.

Mobile App

Yes (requires 2: one for setup and one for login/data exploration)

Yes

Desktop: OBS

Yes (requires 2: one for setup and one for login/data exploration)

Yes

App Version Tested

1.02

2.2.3

N/A

1.02

2.2.3

Haiku no Sub

BirdWeather PUC (02)

BirdWeather Stream (YouTube)

Haiku + Sub

BirdWeather PUC (03)

App UI SS

Major App features

Offers ToD detection graphs and heat maps. Able to listen to original and enhanced recordings plus confirm

Battery level, storage available, enviromentals and motion

N/A

Battery level, storage available, enviromentals and motion

Offers ToD detection graphs and heat maps. Able to listen to original and enhanced recordings plus confirm

App Other

Account Login: easy access to your data and that of others.

Can collapse data by not displaying species images.

No Account System so single device only: hackish workaround exists.

N/A

Account Login: easy access to your data and that of others.

Can collapse data by not displaying species images.

No Account System so single device only: hackish workaround exists.

Detections

Viewable

Viewable

Viewable

Viewable

Probability Controls

Three options — Low, Medium, High

Highly configurable: almost too much so.

Yes via BirdWeather website

Three options — Low, Medium, High

Highly configurable: almost too much so.

App Detection Confirm/Reject

Yes

No

N/A

App Issues

Unable to expand/collapse individual entries: setting to not show them available but does not significantly tidy up the UI. Nags if you are not a paid subscriber/sub expires

Single device only: no support for login accounts to manage devices from multiple devices. Only shows PUCs. Does not show other devices within the BirdWeather network

Sometimes has issues with YouTube Streams. Machine dependent. 10s buffer delay

Unable to expand/collapse individual entries: setting to not show them available but does not significantly tidy up the UI.

Single device only: no support for login accounts to manage devices from multiple devices. Only shows PUCs. Does not show other devices within the BirdWeather network

App Compatible on Desktop

No (but listen website almost exact duplicate)

Yes

N/A

No

Yes

Haiku no Sub

BirdWeather PUC (02)

BirdWeather Stream (YouTube)

Haiku + Sub

BirdWeather PUC (03)

App Wishlist

Get rid of the nag screen

Ability to use your own pics….pie in the sky but could be awesome and gamifiable. Seasonal Plumage images another option

Account system to manage stations individually on website and from multiple devices. Currently must go through setup mode for each phone/tablet with which you wish to access device.

Ability to Drill down into data more

Get rid of the nag screen

Ability to use your own pics….pie in the sky but could be awesome and gamifiable. Seasonal Plumage images another option

Account system to manage stations individually on website and from multiple devices. Currently must go through setup mode for each phone/tablet with which you wish to access device.

Gamification

Tasks/Goals

A bit buggy: badges/goals not clear how to earn

Leaderboard style Engines skew data

Species diversity option instead of just detections

Leaderboard style Engines skew data

Species diversity option instead of just detections

Tasks/Goals

A bit buggy: badges/goals not clear how to earn

Leaderboard style Engines skew data

Species diversity option instead of just detections

WebUI

Yes:  Almost the same as app.

Yes

Yes via BirdWeather

Yes:  Almost the same as app.

Yes

Detection Confirm/Reject

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Able to Export Data

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Visibility into Data

Yes.

CSV available: can download all history in 30 day chunks

Summary file available for downloaded with no other info other than species and number of detections but no granular control for this data.

Yes:

Unable to determine species counts easily. There is a hack/work around for this.

Yes:

Unable to determine species counts easily. There is a hack/work around for this.

Yes.

CSV available: can download all history in 30 day chunks

Summary file available for downloaded with no other info other than species and number of detections but no granular control for this data.

Yes:

Unable to determine species counts easily. There is a hack/work around for this.

Data Notes

Able to export data: but download button only visible if you select “All” from View menu

Able to export data: but time controls are fiddly. Also loses email setting after first export.  Same UI as Stream Data (see next column)

Able to export data: but time controls are fiddly. Also loses email setting after first export.
Sample

Able to export data: but download button only visible if you select “All” from View menu

Able to export data: but time controls are fiddly. Also loses email setting after first export. Same UI as Stream Data.

WebUI Other

Unable to self-manage station info

Unable to self-manage station info

Unable to self-manage station info

Notifications

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Watch Integration for Notifications

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

User Forum

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Newsletter

Yes, regular

No

N/A

Yes, regular

No

Privacy Policy

https://listen.haikubox.com/#/terms

https://www.birdweather.com/privacy

N/A

https://listen.haikubox.com/#/terms

https://www.birdweather.com/privacy

Data Retention

Dependent on if you submit to Cornell

Dependent on if you submit to Cornell

Streams are archived on YouTube and only 1mo or so are kept visible

Dependent on if you submit to Cornell

Dependent on if you submit to Cornell

Other

Sub is $59/yr

Archived on YouTube

Pre-Paid is a larger Unit with Mic at base

Qualms

Paid subscription needed to see history greater than 2 hours and if no subscription the app nags and nags. Sub is well worth the $ but would suggest that the sub not start immediately upon device being configured and going live: give the user a chance to get used to the device and select when to then test out the paid sub features.

Would be nice if could swap networks easily.

Lack of account system a hassle.

With prevalence of stand alone weather stations the sensors for weather are useful only in some instances

Power consumption an issue

Would be nice if could swap networks easily.

Highly customized setup as stream starts up/shutsdown every 12 hours to mitigate Youtube archival policy. Also requires some programing ability. Plus ability to craft macros to handle switching between various cameras.

Paid subscription needed to see history greater than 2 hours and if no subscription the app nags and nags. Sub is well worth the $ but would suggest that the sub not start immediately upon device being configured and going live: give the user a chance to get used to the device and select when to then test out the paid sub features.

Would be nice if could swap networks easily.

Lack of account system a hassle.

With prevalence of stand alone weather stations the sensors for weather are useful only in some instances

Power consumption an issue

Would be nice if could swap networks easily.

Haiku no Sub

BirdWeather PUC (02)

BirdWeather Stream (YouTube)

Haiku + Sub

BirdWeather PUC (03)

Final thoughts

The best option if budge is an issue: always on, lovely UI and ability to get to your data (although back end ability to include some better simple summary information instead of just lifetime summary would be great.) Not able to power off solar: you must have a nearby outlet.

Not much different from Haiku’s overall offerings, but the portability and ability to record to a card makes it great for traveling. The ability to get to the data hampered by poor WebUI controls. Long term power user dependent and thus not as slick.

Since it’s more than just a data collection engine, this is still my preferred monitoring method BUT having the ability to monitor other areas of the ranch is great. Not always reliable though as BirdWeather often poops out sucking in the stream to analyze.

The best option if budget is no issue: always on, lovely UI and ability to get to your data (although back end ability to include some better simple summary information instead of just lifetime summary would be great.) Not able to power off solar: you must have a nearby outlet.

Not much different from Haiku’s overall offerings, but the portability and ability to record to a card makes it great for traveling. The ability to get to the data hampered by poor WebUI controls. Long term power user dependent and thus not as slick

Not validated:  numbers provided by websites

West-Haiku

PAWDF-02

Stream

Shed-Haiku

PAWDF-03

Raw Data

Detections/Species

Detections/Species

Detections/Species

Detections/Species

Detections/Species

4/13

649 / 46 species

4477 / 177 species

2,599 total detections (40 species)

648 / 29 species

2306 / 149 species

4/14/2024

(storm)

2786 / 45 species

3600 / 166 species

468 total detections (26 species)

1727 / 47 species

6414 / 213 species

4/15

2608 / 54 species

3,377 / 228 species

1,013 total detections (37 species)

1781 / 47 species

793 / 21 species

4/16

2899 /55 species

5110 / 210 species

2,620 total detections (55 species)

2216 / 52 species

7729 / 220 species

4/17

2894 / 61 species

4135 / 229 species

2,396 total detections (56 species)

2020 / 48 species

6845 / 242 species

4/18

3089 / 55 species

4823 / 202 species

3045 / 55 species

2141 / 50 species

8162 / 230 species

4/19

2762 / 41 species

4279 / 188 species

2229 / 48 species

8016 / 239 species

4/20

2855 / 47 species

4729 / 215 species

1999 / 38 species

9090 / 237 species

4/21

2783 / 49 species

4301 / 234 species

1929/ 45 species

8792 / 241 species

Rough Data

Rough Data