Habits of Swiftlets

Firstly, swiftlets do not build nests for living, but only for hatching chicks. Usually, swiftlets rest by hanging on walls, similar to bats. Moreover, swiftlets never reuse a nest; they use each nest only once, abandoning it after the chicks hatch and learn to fly. Their lifespan is about 15 years, during which they constantly build nests, approximately 5-6 times a year. The notion that swiftlets are forced to rebuild nests because humans take their nests is completely unreliable; swiftlet farmers only collect nests that swiftlets have abandoned.

A Virtuous Ecological Cycle

Swiftlets are the livelihood of swiftlet farmers, so bird's nests are only harvested when it is determined that doing so will not affect the swiftlets' ecosystem. Swiftlet houses are built to mimic cave environments, and raising swiftlets is not like raising birds; swiftlets remain wild and forage for themselves. The houses merely attract swiftlets to congregate, allowing them to build nests inside the swiftlet houses. This provides swiftlet farmers with numerous opportunities to collect nests. Additionally, swiftlet houses must be regularly cleaned so that swiftlets will return to build new nests, perpetuating generations and creating a virtuous cycle.

Principles of Bird's Nest Harvesting

In the general impression, the cruelty of bird's nest harvesting lies in its collection process, where swiftlets painstakingly build nests and raise young with their saliva, but collectors, regardless of whether there are eggs or young swiftlets in the nest, clear them all out, not only taking away the swiftlets' homes but also killing their young. In reality, modern bird's nest harvesting adheres to three major principles: incomplete nests are not harvested, nests with eggs are not harvested, and nests are not harvested before the young birds can fly. This is because the more swiftlets reproduce, the more income swiftlet farmers will earn. Therefore, consuming bird's nests today is environmentally friendly and humane, as it helps swiftlets remove their unwanted old nests and allows those in need to benefit from the nourishing and health-promoting properties of bird's nests.

Swiftlets and swiftlet farmers actually have a win-win relationship. Swiftlet farmers provide a safe and clean living environment for swiftlets, and bird's nests bring income to the farmers. Furthermore, bird's nests are useless after the young swiftlets fly away, so consuming bird's nests will not render swiftlets homeless!