Man Creates the World’s Largest Bird Feeder That Can Accommodate 108 Birds and 1500 Lbs of Grains

In 1989, when Haresh Shah moved to Peepul village in Maharashtra, his family was strapped on a shoestring, just trying to make ends meet. While Shah worked in the jewellery shop, he noticed his master’s immense love for animals and birds. Somewhere, stars aligned and Shah realized that there was a part of him who too longed to feed these wild creatures. It soon flared up into a full-fledged spark of inspiration. He started crafting bird feeders, eventually designing one that earned him a place in the Guinness World Records, according to a report by The Better India. Meet the man behind the “world’s largest bird feeder.”

"I found out that the world's largest feeder of 345 kg existed in the UAE. After this, I decided to make a 500 kg feeder. After working on different designs for about three times, finally my fourth design was successful," he shared with the media outlet. The press release by Guinness World Records details that this feeder can hold 700 kilograms (1543.24 pounds) of grain and feed as many as 108 birds. Shah spent a whopping 3,80,000 Indian rupees ($4421.28) to create this feeder, probably a lifetime of his earnings.

With this feeder, he smashed the previous world record for the “world’s largest feeder” held by William “Dan” Greene of West Virginia. However, size isn’t the only thing that highlights his feeder. Another remarkable feature is its material. The feeder is entirely crafted from recycled and eco-friendly materials that offer thermal control to the food grains and seeds filled inside the feeder, according to the press release.

An image of the feeder shows Shah standing with his arm tucked around the slope of the giant bird feeder. The feeder seems to be featuring two giant trapezoidal box-like containers, one supporting the base and the larger one attached on top of it. The larger trapezoid features a nature-themed artwork with clusters of plants and blue sky punctuated by lots of feeding ports. Take a closer look, and these tiny white ports will remind you of the doorless arched windows studded in the ancient fortresses of Mughal princesses. But instead of these princesses peeking from behind the windows, these feeding stations are occupied by Peepul’s birds, who are likely the regular visitors here.

Each port is bolted to the trapezoid with a teeny-weeny perch tray stretching outwards for the bird guests. The larger trapezoid is supported by a mammoth tray and balcony-like panels, likely added to collect spilled food so it doesn’t scatter on the ground below. He has been making these feeders and bird houses since 2014, and most of them are made in 100% virgin plastic, which means they last way longer than most of the ordinary feeders. This one, however, came as a surprise. He couldn’t guess, even in the wildest of his dreams, that a world record trophy would be sitting on his mantle shelf because of this feeder.

The bird feeder wasn’t even a one-time craft that emerged and collapsed in the endless stream of bird-feeding products. Although he has installed hundreds of feeders in his village and the surrounding villages, this one works wonders in putting an end to the violent ravage that insects inflict on the grape farms out there. Since such a copious quantity of seeds and food inevitably attracts throngs of bird visitors, some of these swoop down in the bushes, trap these insects, and gobble them up for extra protein. So, Shah, in a way, has filled two gaps with one bush: feeding the birds and protecting the crops.