A bird feeder has a main body including a food hopper, and a removable tray. The tray may be removed from the main body, and when the tray is removed apertures at the bottom of the main body are automatically closed, sealing the main body and preventing food from falling out. When the tray is attached, the apertures are automatically opened. The tray of the bird feeder can therefore be removed very easily for cleaning. Another tray may be provided for installation on the main body while the first tray is being cleaned. Cleaning may be for example by soaking in disinfectant for a few days, or drying out over a similar period. These treatments are effective to kill Trichomonas gallinae , thus limiting the spread of trichomonosis among garden birds, especially greenfinches.
1 . A bird feeder comprising:
a main body including a bulk hopper for storing food,
a feeding tray removably attached to a bottom end of the main body, the tray including a retaining lip for retaining food within the tray and a vertical wall being provided inward of an outer periphery of the tray, and
a perch spaced away from the tray,
wherein an opening is provided in the bottom end of the main body to allow stored food to pass from the bulk hopper into the tray allowing birds to feed from the tray when the tray is attached to the bottom end of the main body, and a closure is provided for closing the opening and retaining food in the bulk hopper,
and wherein a locking mechanism is provided for locking the feeding tray and main body together, preventing removal of the feeding tray from the main body when the locking mechanism is engaged,
and wherein opening the closure causes engagement of the locking mechanism, and closing the closure causes disengagement of the locking mechanism, the feeding tray being detachable from the main body only when the closure is closed,
and wherein a secondary retainer is provided for retaining the feeding tray to the main body when the locking mechanism is disengaged.
2 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second feeding tray, for attaching to the main body of the bird feeder while the first feeding tray is detached for cleaning.
3 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is operated by rotating the tray with respect to the main body.
4 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a pair of relatively movable plates, each having apertures, the apertures in one position lining up to open the opening, and in another position the apertures being disaligned to close the opening.
5 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a pin is provided to link the rotating plate of the main body to the tray, for controlling alignment or dealignment of the apertures by rotating the tray with respect to the main body.
6 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main body forms a roof over the tray.
7 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the secondary retainer is provided as one or more retractable lug(s), the retractable lug(s) being spring-loaded into an outwardly extending position.
8 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a pivoting handle is provided on the tray, the pivoting handle being movable from an out-of-use position substantially lying against the underside of the tray, and an in-use position in which part of the handle pushes against the retractable lug(s) to release the tray from the main body.
9 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 7 , wherein two lugs are provided, the lugs facing substantially away from each other from either side of a part of the main body.
10 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin disposed for sliding in an L-shaped slot.
11 . The bird feeder as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the pin is provided as part of the tray and the L-shaped slot is provided as part of the main body of the feeder.
12 . The method of limiting the spread of disease in a population of birds, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a bird feeder in accordance with claim 2 , and providing food for birds in the feeder;
installing one of the two feeding trays onto the main body of the bird feeder;
treating the other of the two feeding trays to kill an agent of infection; and
alternating the feeding trays at intervals.
13 . The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein alternating the feeding trays includes the steps of:
closing the closure to prevent food from passing from the bulk hopper to the tray;
leaving the tray attached to the main body for a period of time;
removing the tray from the main body, attaching a replacement tray, and opening the closure to allow food to pass from the bulk hopper to the replacement tray.
14 . The method of limiting the spread of disease as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the disease is trichomonosis.
15 . The method of limiting the spread of disease as claimed in claim 12 , wherein treating the feeding tray comprises soaking the feeding tray in a disinfectant solution.
16 . The method of limiting the spread of disease as claimed in claim 12 , wherein treating the feeding tray comprises drying the feeding tray.