GB2298117A

GB2298117A - Squirrel feeder

Info

Publication number: GB2298117A
Application number: GB9503836A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Franklyn Brian Whittles; Christopher John Whittles
Original assignee: CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd
Current assignee: CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-25
Filing date: 1995-02-25
Publication date: 1996-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-25
Also published as: GB9503836D0; GB2298117B

Abstract

A squirrel feeder comprises a container 14 for food located on a platform 26 which forms a "perch" for the squirrel and comprises a transparent front wall 20 so that the food will be visible. The container has a hinged lid 22 which can be opened by the squirrel to obtain access to the food.

Description

FOOD DISPENSER Bird feeders for wild birds are now in use in many gardens. Usually the food is grain, seeds or nuts in a loose particulate mixture, and the feeder is a suspended container with one or more openings providing access so that birds may perch on the container and peck at food in or near the openings.

It is well known that these feeders are raided by other animals in particular squirrels which have the intelligence and agility to enable them to reach the feeders even if placed in apparently inaccessible positions, but also have teeth and jaws sufficiently strong to enable them to chew through plastic and even metal parts to reach the food. Often the feeder is destroyed as a result.

Many attempts have been made to solve the problem, mostly involving making it more difficult for the squirrels to reach the food whilst still be accessible to birds, or using ever more massive or tougher materials for the feeder components e.g. ceramics or metal diecastings. The present invention aims to solve the problem by a different approach.

According to the invention, a squirrel feeder comprises a container for food, a perch or platform for the squirrel, and a transparent area making the container contents visible from the perch or platform, and an access which is normally closed, but openable by the squirrel to reach the food.

Hence the squirrel sees the food, reaches the platform, and learns how to open the access and reaches the food. When the squirrel leaves the feeder the access is closed. The food is in accessible to birds or other animals for various reasons, and when the squirrel visits the area it will be able to obtain the food it requires without raiding the nearby bird feeders.

In one possibility, the food container is a box with a transparent front wall and a lid hinged at the rear and extending beyond the front wall. The platform extends in front of the transparent wall. The squirrel will attempt to reach through the transparent wall and will soon discover the hinged lid and will tilt the lid and reach through the opening thus created into the box interior to reach the food. In this case the box may be mounted on a tree which the squirrel can easily climb. Some other animals not intended to receive this feed will not be able to climb that tree. Others such as cats would be so capable but are unlikely to be interested in the squirrel food which may be nuts. Birds may perch on the platform and see the nuts, but will normally not try to or be unable to open the lid.

A preferred material for the squirrel feeder, apart from the transparent wall, is wood for aesthetic reasons as well as manufacturing costs, and also because of its durability and suitability in a garden. The ordinary weight of the wooden lid may well be sufficient to hold it closed against "bird table birds". A plastic one piece hinge may be used for the lid, and this may also have slight resilience to assist gravity in holding the lid closed.

One embodiment of the present invention is now illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing wherein the sole view shows a squirrel feeder made mostly of wood.

preferring to the drawing, there is backboard 10 which may be apertured at 12 to be hung from a nail or string on a tree. The food container comprises side walls 14 16 and a base 18 secured together and to the backboard. A front wall 20 is made of a sheet of transparent plastic material which nay be located by having its marginal edges trapped in narrow grooves in the base and side walls. Lid 22 projects beyond the side walls and is fixed to a hinge 24 also fixed to the backboard. A platforn 26 is fixed to the underside of the container and projects away from the backboard. If desired, the platform may also form the base of the box.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement shown in the drawing is purely exemplary and many different arrangements will be possible within the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A squirrel feeder comprising a container for food, located on a perch or platform for the squirrel, said container having a transparent area making the container contents visible from the perch or platform, and said container further comprising an access which is normally closed, but openable by the squirrel to reach the food.

2. A squirrel feeder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the food container is a box with a transparent front wall and a lid hinged at the rear and extending beyond the front wall.

3. A squirrel feeder as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the platform extends in front of the transparent wall.

4. A squirrel feeder as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the container is made of wood and the access which is normally closed is a hinged lid retained closed by gravity.

5. A squirrel feeder substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.