Collapsible bird decoy

A collapsible bird decoy comprises a planar body panel, shaped like the side silhouette of the bird, and a top panel shaped like a top-silhouette of the bird. The body panel and the back panel are adapted to infit in mutually perpendicular planes to form a body which resembles the bird's body when viewed from the sides or above. A wing panel extends generally outwardly from each side of the body formed by interfitting the body panel and back panel. The wing panels are preferably pivotally mounted to the body panel to pivot between a storage position in which the wings extend along the axis of the body panel, and a use position in which the wings extend vertically upwardly and can flex downwardly and outwardly from the body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to bird decoys, and in particular to a collapsible 
bird decoy. 
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Decoys are routinely used in bird hunting to attract prey. To be effective, 
the decoys are made to look as realistic as possible. Preferably a decoy 
is three-dimensional to realistically depict a bird from multiple view 
points. A major disadvantage with three-dimensional decoys is their large 
size and bulk, which makes them difficult to transport and to store. 
The present invention overcomes the problem of providing a life-like 
three-dimensional decoy that is compact and easy to transport and to 
store. Generally, the collapsible bird decoy of the present invention 
comprises a planar body panel, shaped like the side-silhouette of the 
bird, having at least a head and a tail, and a planar back panel, shaped 
like the top-silhouette of the bird. The body panel and the back panel are 
adapted to infit in mutually perpendicular planes to form a body which 
resembles the bird's body when viewed from the sides or above. The decoy 
further comprises two wings, each wing having a proximal end and a distal 
end. The proximal end of each wing is attached to the body formed by 
interfitting the body panel and back panel, and the wing is adapted to 
extend laterally outwardly. The proximal ends of the wings are preferably 
pivotally mounted to the body panel to pivot between a storage position in 
which the wings extend along the axis of the body panel, and a use 
position in which the wings extend vertically upwardly and can flex 
downwardly and outwardly from the body. 
Thus, the decoy of the present invention is of simple, inexpensive 
construction. The decoy comprises just a few parts, which lie flat when 
not in use. Thus, in collapsed form it is compact, light weight, and easy 
to transport, yet it can be quickly and easily assembled into a realistic 
three-dimensional decoy. The panels forming the decoy interfit so that 
separate fasteners are not required. Thus there are no small parts that 
can be lost. Once assembled, the decoy realistically depicts the bird when 
viewed from the side or above. Moreover, the cantilevered wings are 
preferably flexible to move in the wind, contributing to the life-like 
appearance of the decoy. 
These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent, and in 
part pointed out hereinafter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A collapsible bird decoy constructed according to the principles of this 
invention, indicated generally as 20 is shown fully assembled in FIGS. 
1-3. The decoy 20 is constructed so that when it is fully assembled, it 
resembles a bird when viewed from the side or above. While the decoy 20 
shown in the Figures is a goose, the invention is not so limited, and a 
decoy constructed according to the principles of this invention could be 
made in the form of a duck, or any other bird. 
The decoy 20 comprises a body panel 22, a back panel 24, and two wing 
panels 26 and 28. The panels 22 and 24 are preferably thin, flat sheets of 
plastic, such as 0.060 inch high impact polystyrene sheet. The wing panels 
26 and 28 are preferably thinner, to be more flexible that the body and 
back panels 22 and 24, and may be, for example, 0.040 inch high impact 
polystyrene sheet. The panels can be painted gray, or preferably, are 
realistically painted or colored to appear like the bird depicted by the 
decoy. 
The body panel 22, shown best in FIG. 7, is shaped like the side-silhouette 
of the bird which the decoy depicts, and preferably includes a head 30, a 
torso 32 with a back 34, and a tail 36. The body panel 22 may also include 
feet 38. The body panel 22 also has a notch 40 extending inwardly from the 
forward end of the panel. The notch 40 is oriented so that it extends 
generally horizontally when the body panel is oriented in its upright use 
position. The body panel 22 also has a cutout 42 for receiving a mounting 
pole to mount the decoy 20 for use. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, 
semi-cylindrical socket members 44 and 46 are mounted over the cutout 42, 
on opposite sides of body panel 22. The socket members 44 and 46 have 
flanges 48 that overlie the margins of the body panel surrounding the 
cutout. The socket members 44 and 46 are secured to the body panel, for 
example, with rivets 50. The socket members 44 and 46 form a socket 52 for 
receiving the end of the mounting pole, so that the decoy can be displayed 
above the ground in its proper orientation. 
The back panel 24, shown best in FIG. 8, is shaped like the top-silhouette 
of the bird depicted by the decoy. The top panel has at least a back slot 
54, and preferably also a tail slot 56, located along the central axis of 
the back panel. The body panel 22 and the back panel 24 are adapted to 
infit in mutually perpendicular planes to form a body which resembles the 
bird's body when viewed from the sides or above. The back slot 54 in the 
back panel 24 receives a portion of the back 34 of the body panel 22, and 
the notch 40 receives the portion of the back panel forward of the back 
slot 54. The depth of the notch 40 in the body panel 24 and the spacing of 
the slot 54 from the front edge of the back panel preferably correspond. 
The tail slot 56 is adapted to receive a portion of the tail 36. 
The wings 26 and 28, best shown in FIG. 9, each have a proximal end 58 and 
a distal end 60. The wings are adapted to extend generally outwardly from 
their respective sides of the body formed by interfitting the body panel 
22 and back panel 24. The wings 26 and 28 are preferably pivotally mounted 
to the body panel 22 with a rivet 62 extending through aligned holes 64 in 
the wings and 66 in the body panel. The wings 26 and 28 are adapted to 
pivot between a collapsed or storage position in which the wings extend 
along the longitudinal axis of the body panel (see FIGS. 4 and 5) in an 
assembled or extended position in which the wing panels extend generally 
vertically upwardly, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 
panel. In the position, due to the weight and flexibility of the wing 
panels, the wings cantilever upwardly and outwardly from their point of 
attachment to the body panel, and then drape generally downwardly and 
outwardly, as best shown in FIG. 3. Because of the flexibility of the wing 
panels 26 and 28, they will actually move or flap slightly in the wind, 
contributing to the realism of the decoy. 
OPERATION 
In operation, the decoy 20 is assembled pivoting the wing panels 26 and 28 
to their assembled or extended position, and allowing the wings to drape 
outwardly from the body panel 22 under their own weight. The slot 54 in 
the back panel 24 is then fit over the back 34 of the body panel 24, until 
the forward end of the slot is aligned with the notch. The back panel 24 
is then pulled rearwardly so that the portion of the back panel in front 
of the slot is pulled into the notch 40. When the front end of the slot 54 
engages the inner end of the notch 40, the slot 56 can be fit over the 
tail 36. The assembled decoy 20 can then be mounted on a pole. The socket 
52 receiving the pole and mounting the decoy. 
After use, the decoy 20 is quickly and easily dissembled by removing the 
decoy from the pole, removing the back panel 24 from the body panel 22, 
and then pivoting the wing panels 26 and 28 to lie generally flat against 
the body panel. The back panel can be stacked on the body and wing panels 
so that the decoy lies substantially flat, and can be conveniently carried 
or transferred.