How To Hide Security Camera In Your Backyard?

Home security cameras are one of the best ways to protect your home and backyard from unwanted intruders and burglars. With them, you can easily monitor what is happening on your property. But for the camera to work properly and to ensure that it isn’t taken down by an intruder as soon as they see it, it is important to hide the camera properly. But how do you hide a camera without anyone noticing? In this article, we’ll talk about that. So, let’s start!

How to Hide Security Camera in The Backyard? To successfully hide a security camera in a backyard, you need to choose the right location. Preferred locations are high up in the trees, using garden decorations such as fake rocks or placing a camera in a birdhouse. An alternative method is buying camouflage skin or using a camera decoy.

Although there are many options for hiding a camera in a backyard, it all depends on the structure of your backyard. The options are endless and mostly depend on your own creativity. Still, you can find some of the best methods for hiding a home security camera in the article. So be sure to continue reading to find out more.

Things To Consider When Hiding A Security Cameras

When installing a home security camera in your backyard, the most important detail to consider is where to place it. Having the right location is very important. Also, before doing anything, you must see what the law says and whether it is allowed.

The easiest and probably fastest way to hide a camera is to paint it the same color as your house. Although this method isn’t as effective as the other ones that will be mentioned in this article, it can serve as a starting point.

If you need to do this in your living room, then be sure to read this article: How to Set Up Hidden Camera In Living Room?

6 Ideas To Hide Backyard Security Cameras

Now that we have briefly explained what is necessary to consider when it comes to placing a security camera in a backyard, we will suggest some ideas for where you can install it. Unlike public areas and workplaces, private property can be legally monitored. However, this applies to United States residents, so if you live elsewhere, be sure to check the law. Some ideas on how to do this are listed below:

1. High In the Trees

One of the methods which first comes to mind is installing the camera high in the trees. Especially if the tree has an overview of your whole house and backyard. The only issue with this idea is that mounting the camera will not be easy, especially if you have a wired camera.

However, if the tree has a direct view of your backyard, such as the entrance, mounting the camera would be a great idea. When it comes to wiring, try to conceal it by running it along the side of the trunk, which isn’t visible from the street or from the entrance to the backyard. Another option is to run the wiring along a nearby wall.

2. Use a Camera Decoy

Using a decoy camera will avert the intruder’s attention from the real camera. Try to place the decoy camera somewhere where it is visible and hide the real camera in another location. This method works great because people mostly pay attention to the camera they see first and thus don’t pay attention that there is another camera in the area.

3. Paint Your Security Camera

Another two options are using a camouflage skin, which is usually popular when it comes to hunting cameras, or painting the camera so that it blends in with the surroundings. When opting for camouflage skin, it’s important to check if your hidden camera is compatible with the dimensions of that skin.

On the other hand, the only thing to look out for when painting the camera is not to paint on the lens and to choose the right color to blend into the background. We recommend painter’s tape and painting the device black, green, gray, or camo.

4. Use Garden Decorations

Garden decorations are great tools that can be used to hide a security camera since they are standard additions to any backyard. These work exceptionally well with smaller spy cameras which can be mounted on fake rocks, gnomes, and even garden lanterns. Look in your garden where the camera would suit you best and put it there.

5. Hide Security Camera In A Birdhouse

Another way to hide a security camera is to enclose it in a birdhouse. You could either make one or buy a birdhouse that can fit a camera. It’s not intrusive, it will fit nicely into almost any backyard, and, most importantly, it will ensure that your camera won’t be noticed.

Also, using a wireless security camera will help ensure that the camera stays invisible. Keep in mind that the opening of the birdhouse is big enough so that the camera can fit. Finally, place the birdhouse at a location where it can cover the whole yard or at least the key points. An abandoned bird’s nest can also be used to hide a security camera, similar to how birdwatchers use it.

Related Article: Can a Hidden Spy Camera Record Audio Sound?

6. Hide Security Camera Behind Window Sill

Although hiding a security camera behind a window sill isn’t the best way for it to remain unseen, it will help you to record perpetrators on camera. This is a situation where the connection between the camera and other devices is extremely important since the intruders will probably disable the camera if they notice it, but the video will already have been stored elsewhere.

How To Hide Security Camera Wires Outside

One of the problems people encounter when trying to hide their security cameras is the inability to hide the wires. If an intruder spots the wires, the camera will be discovered too. But is there any way to avoid this? Of course, there is!

If you’re prepared to spend a little more money and save yourself some time, then the best option is to get a wireless camera.

The alternate option is to try and hide the wires by installing the camera close to walls or windows, basically anywhere where the wires can be camouflaged. Doing this would save money, but you’d have to invest a large chunk of your free time.

Related Article: How To Stop ADT Alarm From Beeping?

What to Look For in Hidden Security Cameras?

In order to buy the perfect security camera, you need to know exactly what you want and what the market has to offer. Below we’ve listed a few basic things you should look for in an outdoor security camera.

• Cost: Look for a camera that costs around $200 since that is the average price tag.
• Connectivity: There are two ways in which your camera can be connected to the internet, via Wi-Fi and via cellular data from the camera itself. If your camera needs Wi-Fi you’ll have to mount it in the signal range.
• Power: Since it is much easier to hide and mount a wireless camera, going for one of these is the logical solution. In most cases a wireless camera is powered by a battery, but more and more solar-powered cameras are appearing on the market, so it’s up to you to decide which one suits you better.
• Battery life: Most battery-powered cameras can work for about six months. Don’t settle for less than that.
• Video: With today’s video capture technology, anything under 1080p HD and a 120-degree view really isn’t recommended. Optical zoom isn’t a necessity, but it’s also recommended.
• Audio: The most important detail regarding audio is that your camera has an integrated microphone. Some security cameras also provide two-way audio so that you can speak to people near the camera, but this feature isn’t necessary nor wanted when it comes to hidden security cameras.
• Night vision: Night vision is one of the most important features of a security camera. Infrared night vision lets you see clearly in complete darkness, which is when most home intrusions happen.
• Person detection: The next step from regular motion detection is person detection. This means that you’ll be notified immediately that a person has been spotted in your backyard.
• Smart platform integrations: A fun, but definitely not crucial function. Using your smart assistants such as Siri or Alexa, you can also connect and receive notifications through your voice assistant.
• Strong mobile app: Nowadays, most cameras use a mobile app to enable you to check what is happening in your yard remotely and decide which video material is saved and for how long. For this reason, the camera has to be connected to a quality mobile app. Try checking the ratings on each app via Google and include this parameter when thinking about which camera you should buy.
• Durability: The only two parameters to be considered durability-wise are temperature range and the IP rating. Temperature range depends solely on the climate in which you live, so choose accordingly. The IP rating, however, shows how durable the camera is to materials such as dust (solids) and materials such as water (liquids). It’s presented in the form of a two-digit code, where the first number is the solid material durability, and the second is the liquid material durability. Any device with a rating of 65 or more will suffice.
• Size: Since we are looking for an easily concealable device, look for the smaller ones.

This article might also interest you: 5 Ways To Find Hidden Cameras In Any Room.

What Law Say About Hiding Security Cameras In Your Backyard?

In the US, it depends from state to state, but still, it is legal to set up a hidden security camera and to record someone. It’s crucial to check your local regulations to ensure that what you are doing isn’t considered illegal.

In most cases, setting up this type of device is even encouraged since it protects your property and helps bring the perpetrators to justice in case of a burglary. It’s important to note that a security camera should only be surveilling your property and not that of your neighbor since this might be seen as an intrusion of privacy.

FAQ: People Also Ask

Should you hide security cameras?

Hiding security is a great way to raise the safety level of your home since you’re able to tap into a live feed of your backyard at any given moment. Also, if a burglary does happen, the footage could help identify the criminals.

Will a security camera work through a window?

Two types of cameras don’t work through windows: motion detection cameras and cameras using infrared radiation. Since infrared waves cannot pass through windows, the camera will be “blind” during nighttime if it is placed behind a glass panel.

Final Words

Installing a hidden security camera in your backyard is the best way of keeping an eye on it at all times, thus ensuring that your home is safe from intruders. There are a number of ways to hide or camouflage your camera so that the perpetrators cannot spot it, from hiding it in a birdhouse to painting it with camouflage colors. Make sure that the camera you buy can fit your desired hiding space and your surveillance requirements.