Abstract:
A feeder having a reduced compression gravity-feed clean food-recycling system providing clean food for a bird including a pair of side panels; a manicuring perch with a serrated surface adjacent the side panels for wearing down a toenail of the bird while feeding; a manger floor with a pair of particle egress notches adjacent the pair of side panels supporting the clean food; a pair of settling slots established by the pair of particle egress notches, the manger floor and the pair of side panels passing particles of food; a manger stop adjacent the manger floor for confining the clean food; a catch encompassed by the pair of side panels, the manicuring perch, the settling slots and the manger stop accommodating clean food spilled or discarded by the bird; and a reclamation slide adjacent the side panels for collecting food and food particles.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no prior applications related to this application. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of animal feeders, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to reduced compression gravity-feed clean food-recycling system for a bird feeder with an ability to protect the food from fecal contamination. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Man has kept birds since the beginning of time, and has been faced with the same problem since man put the first bird in a cage. The problem being how to keep an adequate supply of food before the bird at all times, in spite of the bird&#39;s habit of throwing it out. 
     Typically birds are fed out of small, open, lightweight containers sized by the cage manufacturers to fit through slots in the cage wire and held in place by wire doors, and referred to as feed bowls. Very quickly the bird finds other uses for these as push-pull or chew toys. It becomes a battle of wills between bird and owner to keep the food bowl in place. Ultimately the owner usually loses and resorts to using cereal bowls or heavy crock bowls that the bird should not be able to move or dump, but does. At the end of the day the bird is without food and the frustrated owner refills the open bowl, knowing full well that such a feeding method is totally inadequate and inefficient. 
     For the owner of one bird, the feed bowl problem with resulting clean up of the cage, and the immediate surrounding area, is sufficiently frustrating. For breeders with perhaps hundreds of birds, the problem becomes life threatening to the birds, their hatchling and perhaps a significant health risk to the owner, as a result of sweeping moldy feed off the floor. In addition to the health risk, such food waste can cause severe economic loss to the breeder and is ultimately reflected in the price of pet birds. Many breeders have resorted to rabbit type feeders: gravity feeders made of tin with small trays that the food drops into. But the same problem exists with these as with open feeders. The bird often digs out every bit of food and throws it all over the room, looking for that favorite piece. 
     Why are birds prone to this wasteful behavior? In the wild, birds forage and gather as a primary part of their daily routine. They browse on the ground, in trees and bushes, over and under rocks and leaves for food. They even search under the ground for their favorite morsels, scratching up topsoil and picking for seeds underneath. They search for their favorite foods and only accept second choice after they are satisfied that their favorite is unavailable. The universal favorite of almost all birds is sunflower seeds. Many cage birds will empty a full bowl of bird food, throwing it everywhere, as they eat only the sunflower seeds out of it. 
     Limited access gravity feeders, such as the rabbit type described above, have been around for many years. An alternate approach is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,838 issued to by Bloom et al. (Bloom &#39;838) proposes a bird feeder with a recapture reservoir. However, neither the gravity type rabbit feeders nor Bloom &#39;838 limit contamination of the food pan with bird droppings. Once the food pan is contaminated, it must be washed to stop the spread of germs. This often requires a major intrusion into the cage with tools, pliers, wrenches, etc. to remove the, bolts, washers, wing nuts, which commonly secure these devices to the cage. Such intrusions, while disturbing to pets, can cause major upsets for breeding birds, including the cessation of breeding activity and even the killing, or worse, maiming, of the young in the nest. 
     Another problem with these rabbit-type metal-gravity feeders is that they are opaque and cannot be seen through. They also have straight walls, which can cause the feed to compress at the bottom and become plugged. Because the feed is hidden, birds can die before the plug is discovered. Even in the transparent acrylic feeders, compression induced feed stoppage is still a problem. 
     Still another problem existing in the prior art, including Bloom &#39;838, is that of the feed trough being too flat, or angled so slightly that the food dust settles in the corners and has to be chipped out with an instrument such as a screwdriver, and are void of cleaning ports. Old food stuck in the corners of any feeder often molds. Mold can cause several serious respiratory conditions in birds and humans alike. 
     Thus, challenges remain and needs persist to provide an improved bird feeder that will trap displaced and thrown feed, that addresses the problem of compression of the feed, which will substantially eliminate direct feed contamination, that can be re-supplied from outside a cage or enclosure, and that can be removed for cleaning from outside the cage or enclosure absent a need for tools. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention provides a feeder having a reduced compression gravity-feed clean food-recycling system providing clean food for a bird including a pair of side panels; a manicuring perch with a serrated surface adjacent the side panels for wearing down a toenail of the bird while feeding; a manger floor with a pair of particle egress notches adjacent the pair of side panels supporting the clean food; a pair of settling slots established by the pair of particle egress notches, the manger floor and the pair of side panels passing particles of food; a manger stop adjacent the manger floor for confining the clean food; a catch encompassed by the pair of side panels, the manicuring perch, the settling slots and the manger stop accommodating clean food spilled or discarded by the bird; and a reclamation slide adjacent the side panels for collecting food and food particles. 
     An embodiment of the feeder is built by steps that include providing a sheet of material for use in producing component parts of the feeder; separating each component part of the feeder from the sheet of material; collecting and pre-staging select component parts into an assembly kit specific to a bird species; notching a particle egress notch into a manger floor for use in forming a settling slot; embedding a serrated pattern into a manicuring perch to provide a means for manicuring a toenail of the bird while the bird feeds from the feeder; forming the manicuring perch into a predetermined shape sized to accommodate the grasp of the bird; placing each component part onto an assembly fixture and linking the components one to the other to form the feeder; and removing the linked components from the assembly fixture and installing a reclamation-stop-door to form the feeder. 
     These and various other features and advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a feeder constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational front view of the feeder of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational end view showing a manicuring perch mounting hook of the feeder of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an elevational front view showing the manicuring perch mounting hook of the feeder of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a manger floor showing a pair of particle egress notches used in forming settling slots of the feeder of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing an assembly method for the feeder of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings in general, and more particularly to FIG. 1, shown therein is an elevational side view of a feeder  100  constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Included in the feeder  100  is a pair of side panels  102  that define the height and depth of the feeder  100 . The height and depth of the side panels  102  depends on the species of bird the feeder  100  is constructed to serve. The feeder  100  is constructed to restrict movement of the bird, in a non-aversive manner, by allowing sufficient room for the bird to enter the feeder  100  for feeding and play, but with insufficient room within the feeder  100  for the bird in which to turn around, thereby effectively protecting the food from the bird&#39;s droppings. 
     A feeder  100  sized for the smallest Finch would not accommodate the needs of the largest Macaw and hamper the birds access to food. And use by the Finch of a feeder  100  sized for the largest Macaw would defeat a purpose of the invention. Although the Finch would have unencumbered access to the food, there would be sufficient room within the feeder  100  sized for the largest Macaw for the Finch to turn around and defecate in the food. 
     The size, shape, features and eating habits of a bird species contribute directly to the size, shape and placement of a manicuring perch mounting hook  104  relative to the pair of side panels  102 . The manicuring perch mounting hook  104  has a main body portion  105  with a thickness determined by the species of bird intended to use feeder, and from an outside surface  106  of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 , a minimum head clearance and ergonomic placement of food consistent with eating habits of the bird species, the feeder  100  is sized to serve, is determined. A nominal maximum width of the bird species, in a perched position, the feeder  100  is sized to serve, plus between 10% and 15% of that nominal maximum width, determines the width of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 . The width of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  defines the spacing between the pair of side panels  102  as well as a maximum width for remaining components sandwiched between the pair of side panels. 
     From the minimum head clearance, ergonomic food placement considerations and width of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 , placement of a food dispenser portion  108  of the feeder  100 , relative to the outer surface  106  of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  is determined. The food dispenser portion  108  includes a hopper portion  110  communicating with a silo portion  112  that in turn communicates with a manger portion  114 . 
     The hopper portion  110  is defined by a feeding slide  116  sandwiched between the pair of side panels  102  and a food dispenser  118 . The feeding slide  116 , which starts at a top front corner  120  of each of the pair of side panels  102  and angles downward at about a 35 degree angle from a top edge  120  of each of the pair of side panels  102 , communicates with a sloped volume control wall  122  of the silo portion  112 . An inner surface  124 , between a top edge  126  and a bottom edge  128  of the sloped volume control wall  122  slopes away from the food dispenser back  118  at an angle of between 3 and 5 degrees. Collectively, the sloped volume control wall  122 , the pair of side panels  102  and the food dispenser back  118  defines the silo portion  112  of the feeder  100 . Expansion in volumetric space from the top edge  126  to the bottom edge  128 , within the silo portion  112 , prevents food compression within the food dispenser portion  108 . 
     In communicating with the sloped volume control wall  122 , an outside surface  130  of the feeding slide  116  covers the top edge  126  of the sloped volume control wall  122 , while a bottom edge  132  of the feeding slide  116  lies in the same plane as the inner surface  124  of the sloped volume control wall  122 . A feed entry throat  134  allows flow of feed between the hopper portion  110  and the silo portion  112 . The feed entry throat is bounded by the bottom edge  132  of the feeding slide  116 , the food dispenser back  118  and the pair of side panels  102 . The feed entry throat  134 , is sized to easily accommodate a largest dimension of an intact piece of food of bird feed recommended for feeding the bird species the feeder  100  is intended to serve. 
     A feed exit throat  136  allows flow of feed between the silo portion  110  and the manger portion  112 . The feed exit throat is bounded by the bottom edge  128  of the sloped volume control wall  122 , the pair of side panels  102  and a manger floor  138 . As with the feed entry throat  134 , the feed exit throat  136  is sized to easily accommodate a largest dimension of an intact piece of food of bird feed recommended for feeding the bird species the feeder  100  is intended to serve. 
     In mounting the manger floor  138  between the pair of side panels  102 , a small air space or first cleaning port  140  of between 0.78 cm. and 1.56 cm. is provided between the food dispenser back  118  and the manger floor  138 , for cleaning the feeder using compressed air. To form the first cleaning port  140 , a back edge  142  of the manger floor  138  lies in a same plane as an external surface  144  of the food dispenser back  118  and is offset from a bottom edge  146  of the food dispenser back  118  by between 0.78 cm. and 1.58 cm. The bottom edge  146  of the food dispenser back  118  and the bottom edge  128  of the sloped volume control wall  122  lie in a common horizontal plane  148  (shown by dashed line  148 ) and the manger floor  138 , starting from the back edge  142 , has a downward slope away from the common horizontal plane  148  of between 30 and 35 degrees. 
     A manger stop  150  is provided to contain the feed that flows through the feed exit throat  136  from the silo  112  and into the manger portion  114 . A top edge  152  of the manger stop  150  lies in the common horizontal plane  148  with the bottom edge  128  of the sloped volume control wall  122  and is positioned in a plane parallel to a plane of the food dispenser back  118 . Maintaining the top edge  152  of the manger stop  150  in the same plane as the bottom edge  128  of the sloped volume control wall  122  precludes food from spewing out of the manger portion  114  when filling or replenishing the food dispenser portion  108  with feed. 
     The manger floor  138  includes a pair of settling slots  154 , one adjacent each of the pair of side panels  102 , and a front edge  156  adjacent a second cleaning port  158 . The second cleaning port  158  is bounded by the pair of side panels  102  along each side, the front edge  156  of the manger floor  138  along the bottom, and a lower edge  160  of the manger stop  150  along the top. The second cleaning port  158  has a spacing of between 0.78 cm. and 1.56 cm. separating the front edge  156  of the manger floor  138  and the lower edge  160  of the manger stop  150 . Each of the pair of settling slots  154  commence at a distance of between 50% and 75% of a distance between the back edge  142  and the front edge  156  starting from the back edge  142  and terminate at the front edge  156  of the manger floor  138 . The manger stop  150  is ergonomically positioned a distance from the manicuring perch hook mount  104  to accommodate the eating habits of the bird species the feeder  100  is intended to serve. 
     When the manger stop  150  is secured between the pair of side panels  102 , a catch  162  is formed between the manger stop  150  and the manicuring perch  104  that has a spacing of not less than substantially the same as the spacing of the feed exit throat  136 . The catch  162  communicates with a food recovery reservoir  164 , used to collect food rejected by the bird and pieces of food that broke off during feeding. 
     The manger floor  138  and the catch  162  bound the food recovery reservoir  164  on the top, the pair of side panels  102  bound the food recovery reservoir  164  on the sides, a reclamation slid  166  bounds the food recovery reservoir  164  on the bottom, while a reclamation-stop-door  168  bounds the food recovery reservoir  164  on the back. The reclamation slid  166  is secured between the pair of side panels  102  to form a third cleaning port  170  with a spacing of between 0.78 cm. and 1.56 cm. separating a front edge  172  of the reclamation slid  166  and a lower edge  174  of an anchor leg  176  of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 . It is noted that each of the three cleaning ports  140 ,  158  and  170  lies in a common diagonal plane. 
     The reclamation slide  166  extends from its front edge  172 , adjacent the third cleaning port  170 , in a downward sloping fashion and communicates with a lower rear corner  178  of each of the pair of side panels  102  at an attack angle of between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from a horizontal plane bisecting the cleaning port  170 . 
     The reclamation-stop-door  168  abuts against the reclamation slide  166  and is torsionally supported by the back edge  142  of the manger floor  138  and a reclamation brace  180 . The reclamation brace  180  is mounted between the pair of side panels  102 , and between 65% and 80% of the distance from each lower rear corner  178  of each of the pair of side panels  102  and the first cleaning port  140 . A back edge  182  of the reclamation brace  180  lies in the same plane as the back edge  142  of the manger floor  138 . A length of the reclamation-stop-door  168  is determined by the overall size of the bird feeder  100 , but in all cases the reclamation-stop-door  168  protrudes out of the back edge  142  of the manger floor  138  a distance sufficient to allow the reclamation-stop-door  168  to be comfortably grasped by a bird owner and raised when performing a feed reclamation process. 
     A stabilizing bumper  182  is formed from at least one brace member or component part  186 . The stabilizing bumper  182  is mounted adjacent a pair of front lower corners  184  of the pair of side panels  102 . The stabilizing bumper imparts a torsional force on the top front corner  120  of each of the pair of side panels  102  by engaging the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  as a pivot point. The quantity of bumpers used depends on the size and weight of the bird feeder, the bird, and the shape and rigidity of the cage. The length, width and height of each brace member or component part  186  are substantially the same as the length, width and height of the reclamation brace  180 . The outer surface  130  of the feeding slide  116 , an outer surface  190  of the sloped volume control wall  122 , the manger portion  114 , the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  and the pair of side panels  102  define the confines of a feeding-recreation chamber  192 . 
     FIG. 2 shows that every component part is sandwiched between the pair of side panels  102 . The pair of settling slot  154  is shown adjacent the pair of side panels  102 . These settling slots are specifically designed to mitigate a prior art deficiency, which is, the entrapment of dust particles from the feed that tends to accumulate in the corners, mold, harden and needs to be chipped out with an instrument such as a screwdriver. 
     In the present embodiment, feeder  100  is constructed of transparent or translucent material, such as an acrylic, to allow the feed levels in portion of the food dispenser portion  108  to be readily seen and also to give the bird a picture window on the world, a view without bars. It will be understood that many materials such as metal, wood, and plastic, etc., can be used to fabricate this feeder  100  and they need not be transparent. Furthermore, the feeder can be fabricated in many different ways such as by coupling many elements together or molding in pieces or portions in their entirety. However, using transparent acrylic, the bird&#39;s feeding-recreation chamber  192 , with its transparent pair of side panels  102  on either side, becomes a favorite perch for most. There they have a view without bars in two directions. This is also an improvement over the prior art. 
     At the bottom of the feeding-recreation chamber  192 , on the front side of the feeder, sandwiched between and attached to the pair of inner surfaces  194 , the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  is situated at the top edge of the outside surface  106  approximately ¼ to 1 inch (depending on the relative size of the feeder) above the top edge  152  of the manger stop  150  (of FIG.  1 ). The manicuring perch mounting hook  104  is embossed with a nail file pattern using a heat stamping process to produce a serrated surface. An embodiment of the serrated surface, shown in cross hatch, is heat stamped on the outside surface  106  of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 , and extends for an adequate distance down both sides of the top surface  106 . The serrated surface is used to wear the bird&#39;s toe-nails off as he stands and moves about on the perch to feed. The bird&#39;s gripping and changing positions on the perch wears his nails—just as they would be in the normal food gathering process, as he is eating out of the manger portion  114  (of FIG. 1) of the food dispenser portion  108  (of FIG.  1 ). 
     A width  196  of the opening into the feeding-recreation chamber  192 , between the pair of side panels  102 , is an important factor involved in keeping the reclaimable feed uncontaminated by feces. The opening  196  is specifically sized to the specific species of bird being fed from feeder  100 , so that a bird of that size does not have room to turn his tail into the feeder and defecate on the food. The correct sizing of this opening alone represents a very important improvement over the prior art. 
     Turning to FIG. 3, a hook portion  198  of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  is the only means by which the feeder  100  (of FIG. 1) is attached to the cage. It extends into the inside of any wire or barred enclosure and affords secure attachment without the use of screws, washers, wing nuts or tools. The hook portion  198  includes an outer containment leg  200 , an eye  202  and the anchor leg  176 . The anchor leg  176  forms the major front partition of the feeder as well as the opposing side of the hook to anchor the feeder securely to the cage. The manicuring perch mounting hook  104  is positioned above the third cleaning port  170 . 
     The mounting hook is formed by placing the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  into a manicuring perch forming fixture (not shown) shaped to accommodate the grasp of the bird, of the species of bird, using the feeder. Next, heat is applied to the manicuring perch mounting hook, to bring the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  to a point of malleability to allow the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  to be deformed. Deforming the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  around a shape tool (not shown), while maintaining the heat applied to the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 , sufficient to maintain malleability of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  while applying force to the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  to form the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 . 
     Returning to FIG. 1, in use, the bird stands on the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 , bends over into the feeding-recreation chamber  192 , picks up food, either pellets or seeds, stands and eats them over the catch  162 . The pieces he drops, or shuttles out of the way, go through the catch  162  and down the reclamation slide  166 . This dropped food lands against the reclamation-stop-door  168 , which is removed; by sliding it up, when a colander or a wire basket is held under the end of the reclamation slide  166 . The food, the bird has wasted, by scattering or throwing it about during the course of the day, slides out into the basket. The dust can be shaken from the food with the good pieces poured back in the hopper portion  110  for the bird to go through the next day. 
     FIG. 4 shows a cross hatch serrated texture  204  imparted on the outside surface  106  and into the main body portion  105  of the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 . To impart the serrated texture  204  into the main body portion  105 , the serrated texture serving to wear the bird&#39;s toenails off in the manner his usual scratching for food would accomplish in the wild, a file pattern is stamped into the main body portion  105  used in forming the manicuring perch mounting hook  104 . 
     Using 0.3125 cm. thick, substantially flat piece of acrylic material as a manicuring perch blank (not shown separately) of a present embodiment, a texture application process, also referred to as a heat stamping process, involves heating the manicuring perch blank to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature just below its melting point and the temperature at which the manicuring perch blank accepts the texture embossed or heat stamped onto its surface that provides the serrated surface  106  of the manicuring perch  104 . The manicuring perch blank, after being produced to size, is placed in a kiln operating at a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit and held in the kiln for 2 minutes. The manicuring perch blank is then transferred to a press with a metallic file mounted within the press. Prior to the transfer of the manicuring perch blank to the press, the metallic file is heated to a temperature of substantially 170 degrees centigrade. While still hot from the kiln, the manicuring perch blank is placed in the press and held in the press for one minute under forty pounds of pressure per square inch. When stamping a manicuring perch blank of 0.625 thicknesses, the kiln time is pushed to 3 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the temperature pressure and dwell time for the stamping portion of the process remains constant. Once the serration has set the serrated manicuring perch blank (not separately shown) is re-heated and formed into the manicuring perch  106  by bending the serrated manicuring perch blank around a curved fixture. The radius of the curved fixture is determined by the natural grasp of the bird species the manicuring perch is being fashioned to serve. 
     Tests have shown that a serrated texture  204  embossed on a serrated manicuring perch blank surface will actually file other pieces of plastic, as well as the toughest toenails of the largest Macaws and Cockatoos without taxing the capabilities of the manicuring perch. In addition to the present invention, there are many other applications within the bird world for a surface to be imparted with a serrated textured surface, i.e., perches independent from a feeder  100  (of FIG.  1 ), toys, and T-stands to name a few. It is also noted the configuration or pattern of the serrated texture  204  need not be a cross-hatch pattern. The serrated texture may take on virtually any form such as diagonal or even random eruptions created by bubbling the surface with heat, or by scribing the outer surface  106  using mechanical means or a laser. 
     After the stamping, and while still hot, the acrylic piece is formed around a substantially round fixture that has a diameter sized to produce the manicuring perch mounting hook  104  with an outside dimension tailored to the grasp size of the foot of the bird species the feeder  100  (of FIG. 1) is dimensioned to serve. 
     FIG. 5 shows a pair of particle egress notches  206 , one cut into each side of the manger floor  138 . A table saw is used for the removal of a predetermined amount of material from the manger floor  138 . The amount of material removed varies with the species of bird the feeder is intended to serve and the physical size and type of feed recommended for the care of that species. The pair of particle egress notches  206 , in combination with the pair of side panels  102  (of FIG.  2 ), form the pair of settling slots  154  (of FIG. 1) when the manger floor is sandwiched between and attached to the pair of side panels  102  (of FIG.  2 ). Each of the pair of settling slots  154  (of FIG. 1) provide an opening between the food dispenser portion  108  (of FIG. 1) of the feeder  100  (of FIG. 1) and the recovery reservoir  164  (of FIG.  1 ), to allow small food particles and food dust to pass from the manger portion  114  (of FIG. 1) to the food recovery reservoir  164  (of FIG. 1) of the feeder  100 . Thereby eliminating both the buildup of the food dust in the corners of the manger portion  114  (of FIG. 1) and the need for the buildup to be chipped away. As covered hereinabove, old food stuck in the corners of any feeder often molds, the settling slots remove the risk of mold by removing the source of the mold, i.e., by eliminating closed corners that promote food dust buildup. 
     FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram of a bird feeder assembly process  300  for making a reduced compression gravity-feed clean food-recycling system with a manicuring perch bird feeder (such as  100 ) starts at begin process step  302  and continues at process step  304 , the provision of a 4 ft. (122 cm.) by 8 ft. (244 cm.) sheet of translucent acrylic material, all of either clear or tinted, with a smooth or pebbled surface. The thickness of the material depends on the species of bird the bird feeder is intended to serve in ranges from a thickness of {fraction (1/16)} in. (0.159 cm.) to ¼ in. (0.636 cm.). With a material provided, the bird feeder assembly process  300  continues at step  306  where the material provided by provide step  304  is first divided into a predetermined number of individual strips of substantially 96 in. (244 cm.) length by substantially one of the following widths: 11 in. (28 cm.), 9 in. (23 cm.), 7 in. (18 cm.), 5 in. (12.7 cm.) or 3.5 in. (9 cm.). Next, the individual members, also referred to as component parts, of the bird feeder are separated from selected individual straps, of appropriate width and thickness, into lengths appropriate for the bird feeder type being assembled. 
     At process step  308 , the bird feeder assembly process  300  continues with collecting and combining into a parts kit form, an appropriate number of each member or component part used to assemble a bird feeder specific to a bird species. Then, a manger floor (such as  138 ) is drawn from the parts kit and passed to a notching process of process step  310 , and a manicuring perch member or component part (such as  104 ) is drawn from the kit and passed to a heat stamp process of process step  312 . At process step  310 , the material is removed from the manger floor to form a pair of particle egress notches (such as  206 ), one on each side of the manger floor and then returned to the parts kit. 
     While the manger floor is undergoing material removal in process step  310 , the manicuring perch is undergoing the heat stamp process of process step  312 . The heat stamp process of process step  312  includes: placing a manicuring perch blank into a kiln preheated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, for a period of two minutes to condition the manicuring perch blank for receipt of a serrated surface; preheating a metallic file of a press to a temperature of substantially 170 degrees, the magnetic file used to impart the serration on the manicuring perch blank; aligning the manicuring perch blank within the press; and pressing the magnetic file into the surface of the manicuring perch blank to impart the serration pattern onto the manicuring perch blank to form a serrated manicuring perch blank (not shown separately). Next, the serrated manicuring perch blank is formed into a manicuring perch mounting hook in process step  314 . 
     Once the serration has set, process step  314  forms the serrated manicuring perch blank into the manicuring perch mounting hook by first maintaining the heat of the serrated manicuring perch blank attained during the stamp process step  312  and then bending the serrated manicuring perch blank around a curved fixture. The radius of the curve on the curved fixture is determined by the natural grasp of the bird species the manicuring perch is being fashioned to serve. Having formed the manicuring perch mounting hook, the manicuring perch mounting hook is returned to the parts kit. 
     In process step  316 , a first of a pair of side panels (such as  102 ) is positioned on an assembly fixture, then a bead of bonding material, such as methylene chloride, is applied to a first side of each of the component parts, each part is then aligned in a position call for by the assembly fixture and pressed into place. Next, a second bead of bonding material is applied to a second side of each of component parts to be sandwiched between the pair of side panels and the second of the pair of side panels was aligned, as indicated by the assembly fixture and placed into pressing contact with the second surface of each of the component parts. 
     The bird feeder assembly process  300  continues with process step  318 . In process step  318  the pair of side panels with the components sandwiched between them is removed from the assembly fixture, cleaned and a reclamation-stop-door (such as  168 ) is slid into position to form the reduced compression gravity-feed clean food-recycling system bird feeder with a manicuring perch. The bird feeder assembly process  300  then concludes with process step  320 , end process. 
     In accordance with one aspect of a preferred embodiment, a reduced compression gravity-feed clean food-recycling system with a manicuring perch bird feeder (such as  100 ) includes: a pair of side panels (such as  102 ) defining a height and a depth of the feeder; a manicuring perch mounting hook (such as  104 ) with a serrated surface secured between the side panels, the manicuring perch mounting hook secured to the side panels defining a width of the feeder, the serrated surface trims toenails of a bird; a manger floor (such as  154 ) with a pair of particle egress notches (such as  206 ) secured between the pair side panels, the egress notches together with the pair of side panels form a pair of settling slots (such as  154 ) for passage of particles from above the manger floor to below the manger floor; a manger stop adjacent the manger floor and secured between the pair of side panels forming a catch (such as  162 ) encompassed by the pair of side panels, the manicuring perch mounting hook and the manger stop; a reclamation slide (such as  166 ) secured between the side panels for collecting particles from the settling slots and the catch; a reclamation-stop-door (such as  168 ) slidingly adjacent the pair of side panels eschewing discharge of particles collected on the reclamation slide; and, a food recovery reservoir (such as  164 ) bounded by the reclamation-stop-door, the pair of side panels, the manger floor and the reclamation slide, the food recovery reservoir communicating with the catch for collecting a displaced item of food from the bird in preparation for recycling the displaced item of food for the bird. 
     Returning to FIG. 1, in addition to the benefits discussed hereinabove, the present invention provides a new and improved bird feeder which offers the bird some of the psychological satisfaction of being the hunter-browser nature intended—without messy harm to his surroundings or waste of feed. The process of collecting the clean feed and recycling the feed enables the bird to go through his food as much as he pleases—as part of his daily self-fulfilling activity and exercise. 
     It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functions of various embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of structure and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. For example, the configuration of the serrated texture of the manicuring perch mounting hook may vary depending on the particular application while maintaining substantially the same functionality without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. In addition, although the preferred embodiment described herein is directed to a bird feeder, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the teachings of the present invention can be applied to other feeding systems without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.