Patent ID: 8763558

Claim:
A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising: a liquid container with a liquid flow opening at a lower end and a removable cap at an upper end; a feeding basin positioned below the liquid container, said feeding basin having a cover with at least one feeding port therein sized for a hummingbird's beak; and a sealing mechanism associated with he liquid flow opening of the liquid container and the feeding basin, said sealing mechanism including a float valve which, when the float valve is in a first position, said liquid flow opening is open allowing fluid to flow from said container into said basin and, when the float valve is in a second position, said liquid flow opening is closed to prevent fluid flow from said container into said basin; said float valve including a float and a sealing member with substantially vertical movement of said float causing substantially vertical, movement of said sealing member, an outer edge of said float including at least one cutout or recess that aligns with the at least one feeding port in the basin cover so that the float does not obstruct a hummingbird from accessing nectar in the basin by inserting its beak through the feeding port.