Bird feeding

A bird feeder configured to hold bird feed and to provide access to the bird feed by birds, the bird feeder comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• a perch coupled to the housing and configured to have at least a landing portion of the perch move from a feeding position toward a feed-inhibiting position, different from the feeding position, relative to the housing, the perch being configured to have the landing portion provide support for a bird eating the bird feed while the perch is in the feeding position, the perch being further configured to be in the feeding position in the absence of an animal's weight being applied to the landing portion of the perch, and to have at least the landing portion move toward the feed-inhibiting position in response to application to the landing portion of at least an undesired weight;
• wherein the perch is configured such that landing portion of the perch will inhibit an undesired animal from using the landing portion for support while in the feed-inhibiting position;
• and
• wherein the perch comprises a mounting member adapted to fixedly couple to the housing, a spring, and a landing member having the landing portion and being pivotally coupled to the mounting member, the spring being disposed to bias the landing member away from the mounting member toward the feeding position.

A bird feeder configured to hold bird feed and to provide access to the bird feed by birds, the bird feeder comprising:

• a housing;
• a perch coupled to the housing and configured to have at least a landing portion of the perch move from a feeding position toward a feed-inhibiting position, different from the feeding position, relative to the housing, the perch being configured to have the landing portion provide support for a bird eating the bird feed while the perch is in the feeding position, the perch being further configured to be in the feeding position in the absence of an animal's weight being applied to the landing portion of the perch, and to have at least the landing portion move toward the feed-inhibiting position in response to application to the landing portion of at least an undesired weight;
• a top;
• wherein the perch is slidably coupled to the housing and is fixedly coupled to a top, the top providing an opening through which birds can access the bird feed, the top being configured such that the opening substantially closes to inhibit access to the bird feed when the perch moves to the feed-inhibiting position;
• and
• wherein the top defines a plurality of openings, wherein the perch comprises a platform coupled to a corresponding plurality of landing members and the housing defines a corresponding plurality of slots configured to receive the landing members as the landing members move from respective feeding positions toward respective feed-inhibiting positions, and wherein the housing and the top move relative to each other to substantially close the plurality of openings when the landing members move from respective feeding positions toward respective feed-inhibiting positions.

A bird feeder for providing access to bird feed by birds and inhibiting access to the bird feed by undesired animals, the bird feeder comprising:

• a housing including a base portion and a top portion, the housing being configured to contain bird seed and provide access by birds to the bird seed;
• and
• perch means, coupled to the housing, for providing support to a bird to access the bird seed and for moving at least a support portion between a feeding position and a feed-inhibiting position in response to application of an undesired weight to the support portion to at least one of inhibit an undesired animal from using the support portion for support to access the bird feed while in the feed-inhibiting position and inhibit access through the housing to the bird feed;
• wherein the perch means comprises a retractable cord coupled to the support portion.

A bird feeder for providing access to bird feed by birds and inhibiting access to the bird feed by undesired animals, the bird feeder comprising:

• a housing including a base portion and a top portion, the housing being configured to contain bird seed and provide access by birds to the bird seed;
• and
• perch means, coupled to the housing, for providing support to a bird to access the bird seed and for moving at least a support portion between a feeding position and a feed-inhibiting position in response to application of an undesired weight to the support portion to at least one of inhibit an undesired animal from using the support portion for support to access the bird feed while in the feed-inhibiting position and inhibit access through the housing to the bird feed;
• wherein the perch means comprises a sensor and an electrical release configured to allow the support portion to move in response to the sensor indicating application of the undesired weight to the support portion.

A movable perch replacement for use with a bird feeder including a base, the replacement comprising:

• a mounting member configured to be mounted to the base of the bird feeder;
• a spring;
• and
• a landing member pivotally coupled to the mounting member and biased by the spring away from the mounting member;
• wherein the spring is configured to support the landing member, while a bird stands on the landing member, in a substantially horizontal position and to allow the landing member to pivot toward a substantially vertical position in response to an undesired weight being applied to the landing member.

A bird feeder configured to hold bird feed and to provide access to the bird feed by birds, the bird feeder comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• a perch coupled to the housing and configured to have at least a landing portion of the perch move from a feeding position toward a feed-inhibiting position, different from the feeding position, relative to the housing, the perch being configured to have the landing portion provide support for a bird eating the bird feed while the perch is in the feeding position, the perch being further configured to be in the feeding position in the absence of an animal's weight being applied to the landing portion of the perch, and to have at least the landing portion move toward the feed-inhibiting position in response to application to the landing portion of an undesired weight;
• wherein the perch is configured such that landing portion of the perch will inhibit an undesired animal from using the landing portion for support while in the feed-inhibiting position;
• and
• wherein the landing portion is at least a portion of a spring and provides a substantially solid landing surface.

A bird feeder configured to hold bird feed and to provide access to the bird feed by birds, the bird feeder comprising:

• a housing providing a recess;
• and
• a perch coupled to the housing and configured to have at least a landing portion of the perch move from a feeding position toward a feed-inhibiting position, different from the feeding position, relative to the housing, the perch being configured to have the landing portion provide support for a bird eating the bird feed while the perch is in the feeding position, the perch being further configured to be in the feeding position in the absence of an animal's weight being applied to the landing portion of the perch, and to have at least the landing portion move toward the feed-inhibiting position in response to application to the landing portion of an undesired weight;
• wherein the perch is configured such that landing portion of the perch will inhibit an undesired animal from using the landing portion for support while in the feed-inhibiting position;
• and
• wherein the perch is configured and coupled to the housing such that at least a portion of the landing portion that is disposed externally to the housing while the perch is in the feeding position is received by the recess while the perch is in the feed-inhibiting position.