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US 5,295,455 AGranted
Bird excluding technique
AssigneeBoard of Regents of the University of Nebraska
InventorRon J. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To provide access to a bird feeder to desirable species while excluding House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), a loop is mounted above the feeder and extends outwardly a few inches. The excluder is fastened to the bird feeder by staples or adhesives.
Claims14
The combination of a bird feeder and bird excluder comprising:
- a bird feeder compartment;
- a support means for supporting the bird feeder compartment above ground;
- the bird feeder compartment including side members, roof members and at least one access opening for access to feed therein by birds;
- said access opening having a top and a bottom and an access-opening height between the top and the bottom;
- an excluder means for physically permitting certain species of birds to enter from the top and from the sides while causing other species not to enter mounted at a location to be within a distance extending from below the top of the at least one access opening a distance of 10 percent of the access-opening height to two feet above the top of the access opening of the feeder;
- said excluder having at least one thin elongated member extending beyond the at least one access opening at an elevation at least five inches from the bottom of the at least one access opening;
- said at least one thin elongated member overhanging said at least one access opening and being spaced to physically permit birds to enter and take food.
4 more elements
A method of making a bird excluder for a bird feeder having at least one access opening;
- said access opening having a top and bottom and an access-opening height between the top and the bottom comprising the steps of:
- forming an elongated member shaped as the outline of a substantially-closed geometric figure dimensioned to extend upwardly within a range of distances extending from below the top of the access opening a distance of 10 percent of the access opening height to two feet above the top of the access opening and to extend outwardly a distance in the range of three inches to two feet from the access opening so as to be spaced to physically permit birds to enter and take food, wherein certain birds are selectively excluded and others permitted to enter from the top or sides.
A method of selectively excluding birds from a bird feeder comprising the steps of:
- erecting a feeding compartment having at least one access opening;
- said access opening having a top and a bottom and an access-opening height between the top and the top for birds to obtain feed;
- and
- mounting a thin filament member shaped as a closed geometric figure to be within a distance extending from below the top of the access opening a distance of 10 percent of the access-opening height to two feet above the top of the access opening and spaced to permit birds to enter from the top and side, wherein House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) will not take food from the feeder but other species will take food from the feeder.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.