Edible-nest Swiftlets

[Llew Rintoul <>]

Hello all,

Someone asked

>My question is how many nests to the kilo and how do the nest gathers
>handle the conservation issues? Obviously it is in their economic
>interst to maintain the species and their nesting on the islands they
>control but do they do it.

In Borneo, at least, the nests are harvested as soon as they are built at
the start of the nesting season.  Then all collection is stopped.  The birds
rebuild their nests and are allowed to get on with the business of breeding.
 
After all the young have fledged a second "crop" is harvested.  I don't know
how many nest per kg but needless to say the 2nd crop is not as lucrative as
the first, though good money is to be made - value adding by picking out the
wheat from the chaff.

Cheers
Llew Rintoul