Sheets are separated one-by-one from their stack placed in a holder by a sheet feed roller and a separation member provided in an inclined separation plate. The separation member can be a flat metal plate, and possibly includes a base portion, arm portions extending from the base portion, separation protrusions provided on the arm portions and capable of contacting a sheet, and elastic legs extending from the base portion. The arm portions, the separation protrusions, and the elastic legs can be arranged along a sheet feeding direction. The inclined separation plate may be provided with windowholes on a central portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction. The window holes can allow each separation protrusion or two or more separation protrusions to protrude toward the front surface of the inclined separation plate. Bridge portions can be provided between adjacent window holes. The bridge portions may strengthen the bending stiffness of the inclinedseparation plate in the direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction, and thus the separation protrusions are allowed to protrude only by a specified amount as designed.