Patent ID: 6957626

Claim:
A bird feeder, for holding a quantity of bird feed, comprising: an elongate bird feed container being open at opposed top and bottom ends thereof, and the bird feed container defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of feeding ports distributed vertically and circumferentially in a side wall of the bird feed container to facilitate eating of bird feed from the bird feed container by a bird; wherein each feeding port has a perch which is located adjacent an inlet of the feeding port and extends normal to the longitudinal axis of the bird feeder, and each feeding port has a hood which prevents the bird feed from falling out through the inlet of the feeding port; a removable cover for covering the open top end of the bird feed container; and a removable base having a smaller dimensioned portion being sized to be closely received completely within the bottom end of the bird feed container, the smaller dimensioned portion having a pair of diverter surfaces for diverting bird feed toward an adjacent feeding port, the removable base having a closed position, for sealing the open bottom end of the bird feed container and retaining bird feed within the bird feed container, and an open position in which the base is removed from the bird feed container to facilitate cleaning of the bird feed container and the base, and relative movement between the base and the bird feed container, both along the longitudinal axis of the bird feeder as well as rotation about the longitudinal axis, is required for removing the base from the bird feed container; at least one pair of diametrically opposed projections are supported by one of the base and the bird feed container, and at least one complimentary pair of diametrically slots are formed on the other of the base and the bird feed container, and the at least one pair of diametrically opposed projections and the at least one complimentary pair of diametrically slots facilitate releasable engagement between the base and the bottom end of the bird feed container.