US Patent 8096265 Wildlife feeder

A motorized wildlife feeder provides a reliable flow of powdery feeds, such as rice bran, from a hopper to the ground. The hopper is partially formed by a funnel with a unique, eight-sided shape. The unique shape of the funnel is believed to provide reliable flow of powdery feeds, whereas typical funnels with round sides tend to plug when such feeds are used. Vibrators attached to the hopper assist the flow of feed from the hopper into a trough, where an auger moves the feed to a downspout and onto the ground.