SQUIRREL-PROOF BIRD FEEDER

A bird feeder and method of feeding wild birds are disclosed herein which thwarts squirrels, rodents, and other pests from accessing the bird feed. The bird feeder comprises a shutter mechanism which slides down a seed container to block access to the bird feed in an implementation. The shutter mechanism secures to the bottom of the seed container to maximize the containment volume of the feeder and to make cleaning the feeder easier. The shutter mechanism has adjustable spring force settings so that a user can set the spring force according to the type of predator. In an implementation, the shutter mechanism is rigged with a constant force spring which prevents partial deployment of the shutter.