Patent ID: 9414574
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: A01K

Claim Text:
1. A squirrel-resistant bird feeder comprising: a seed reservoir having a side wall with an opening therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir; a panel substantially covering said side wall opening, said panel having at least one seed aperture therein that defines a seed access open area into said reservoir, said seed access open area being smaller than said side wall opening to restrict an unwanted outward flow of seed while allowing birds to access seed in the reservoir through the at least one seed aperture in the panel; and a seed access restrictor in communication with the seed access open area and the reservoir side wall opening and including a body having an open inner area, the restrictor body projecting outwardly from the reservoir side wall to form a dome-shaped cage around the seed access open area, a length of said projecting body of said seed access restrictor extending between an inner end of said cage and an outer end thereof, said inner end having a periphery that defines an inner opening of said restrictor body, said inner end being adjacent said panel in the reservoir side wall and surrounding the seed access open area, said outer end having a seed access opening, said outer end with said seed access opening being spaced away from the inner end adjacent the reservoir side wall opening by the length of said seed access restrictor body, said seed access restrictor body including a plurality of spaced bars extending between the inner end and the outer end with apertures between the bars to form said dome-shaped cage, birds being able to insert their beaks through the seed access opening, the open inner area and the inner opening of the seed access restrictor body to access seed in the reservoir while a size of said seed access opening and the length of said restrictor body are too small and too long, respectively, to allow a squirrel to reach the at least one seed aperture in said panel, said panel restricting access to seed in said reservoir to a size of said at least one seed aperture, and said seed access restrictor limiting access to said panel to birds with beaks sized to fit through the seed access opening at the outer end of the restrictor body.