Patent ID: 8756115

Claim:
A modular bird feeder system comprising: a plurality of bases each having a different appearance, all of said bases having a connecting structure of a same size and configuration; a plurality of nutrient reservoirs each having a different appearance, all of said reservoirs having a lower end configured to be coupled to the connecting structure of any of said bases to connect a respective reservoir to a respective base, each of said reservoirs having an upper end opening and a lower end opening, said lower end opening being closed by the base; at least one cap configured to be secured to an upper end of said reservoirs to close said upper end opening; and a feed port through which birds can access a nutrient being dispensed by said feeder; said bases, reservoirs, cap and feed port being interconnectable with one another in a plurality of different combinations as each component is selected by a consumer to produce a plurality of differently styled bird feeders from a common component inventory; and a web site having a build-a-feeder program, said web site configured to present the consumer with a plurality of feeder components available for customization and, in response to consumer selection of a first component type, to present the consumer with a plurality of styles available for the first component and, in response to the consumer's selection of a style, to determine whether the consumer has selected one or more additional components for customization and, if the consumer has selected one or more additional components for customization, to present the consumer with a plurality of styles available for each additional component.