Banyan Bird Nest
Unlike other bird nests, Banyan Bird Nest is 100% pure and of premium quality. It does not contain adulteration of additives and foreign materials.
Picture of swiftlets at Fraser's Hill
LIST OF ARTICLES
1. How to differentiate a real bird nest from a fake one
2. The Myth and Truth of Red Bird Nest
3. Nutritional Benefits of the Bird Nest in a Nutshell
5. Glossy Swiftlet Fostering as a Strategy for Edible Bird Nest Swiftlet Farming
8. Birds that Produce Edible Bird Nest
10. Cave Bird Nest Export Centres of Southeast Asia - Tourist Attraction
11. Why Nitrite Content in the Bird Nest Becomes a Big Issue in China?
12. Factors to be Considered When You Wish to Build a Swiftlet House
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1. How to differentiate a real bird nest from a fake one
Bird nest just soaked in water.
Bird nest soaked in water for 2 hours.
Edible bird nest is one of the premium foods among the Chinese community worldwide. Bird nest soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. It has plenty of benefits to human health. In fact, the edible bird nest is among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans.
Due to its scarcity and high value in the market, some unethical suppliers adulterate the original bird nest with foreign materials and additives. These foreign materials make the bird nest heavier and bigger. The suppliers can therefore sell the bird nest at higher prices.
The genuine purchasers however, wish to buy a true bird nest rather than a fake one. The following are methods to differentiate a true bird nest from the fake one.
i. Outlook
A true bird nest appears to be in fibre form whereas the fake one comes in lump shape with shinning surfaces.
ii. Transparency
A true bird nest is translucent whereas a fake one is opaque.
iii. Weight
The weight of a true bird nest is between 3.5 gram and 8 gram. A fake bird nest can weigh more than 8 gram.
iv. Test by burning
A true bird nest has no sparks during burning whereas a fake one has.
One may further test the bird nest by soaking in clean water for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, one may observe as follows:-
i. Appearance
A true bird nest appears in fibre/filament form whereas a fake one in grain shape.
ii. Smell
A true bird nest has the smell of albumen of an egg whereas a fake one has the smell of additives.
iii. Color
A true bird nest will not fade whereas a fake one will fade.
iv. Extent of expansion
A true bird nest will expand for about 2 times the original size whereas a fake one expands slightly. You can see some foreign materials inside the fake bird nest.
v. Bubble
A true bird nest will produce bubbles after soaking in the water whereas a fake one has no bubble but the water turns murky. Everyone wishes to spend money for quality items. There are different classes of bird nest in the market. Some shrewd bird nest suppliers try to sell sub-standard quality bird nest at premium prices. The above observation and testing method may help the buyers to avoid falling into the trap of being cheated.
This article has been published in www.ezinearticles.com
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2. The Myth and Truth of Red Bird Nest
A climber is plucking the cave bird nests.
Bird Nest soup is well known in the world Chinese community as a premium health cuisine. It has plenty of benefits like boosting health, making one’s skin radiant and bright, strengthening lungs, prolonging life etc.
There are grossly three types of bird nest namely white bird nest, black bird nest and red bird nest. The white one is made by a kind of swiftlets called Aerodramus fuciphagus whereas the black bird nest by Aerodramus maximus. The red bird nest is also made by Aerodrumus fuciphagus normally in the caves. The red bird nest is said to be of superior quality and the best one among them as it can produce the best effects. Hence, red bird nest is sold at the highest price.
Due to the scarcity of red bird nest, there are myths about it. Some says that the swiftlets mix their saliva and blood when making the nest; other says that due to the frequent harvesting by the farmers, the swiftlets work too hard until they vomit blood during bird nest building. The fact is that blood when hardened is black in color.
According to the observation of experienced climbers, the bird nest near the entrance of the caves is white in color. Going deeper inside the cave, one can find yellow one and near the deepest end golden red one.
The coloration seen in genuine yellow and red bird nest is due to interaction with the cave wall and absorption of the natural minerals found in it. A red bird nest with uniform yellow and red color is rarely found as only one side of the nest is in contact with the cave wall. It could be due to the swiftlets feed on algae, in this case the color of the bird nest is grayish pink instead of simply yellow or red.
There is another rumor: the red bird nest is made by the house swiftlets. This is totally untrue as the house swiftlets only feed on insects and not algae. Whether it makes the nest for the first time or numerous times, it produces only one type of bird nest namely white one. The rumor may be spread by the unscrupulous businessmen who adulterated color into the white bird nest or make the white bird nest becomes red one by fumigation.
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3. Nutritional Benefits of the Bird Nest in a Nutshell
The legend of bird nest in Chinese cuisine dates back to the Ming Dynasty. According to the written literature, the great Admirals Zheng He was known to be the first person who consumed the bird nest. After discovered its special effects in promoting the energy of his fleet of sailors, he brought back some bird nests for the Emperor.
Ever since then, the Chinese views bird nest as a delicacy in their cuisine. Due to the scarcity of bird nest, it is sold at a premium price.
Bird nest contains water soluble glycoprotein and amino acids. The glycoprotein promotes cell growth and tissue repair. It is a rejuvenating agent. It also contains epidermic growth factor which promotes cell growth and tissue repair. Minerals like calcium, sodium and potassium are found in the bird nest. Minerals are essential for the increase of body resistance against diseases. It also contain antioxidant which basically helps in anti-aging. It retards the process of ageing.
Throughout the practice, the traditional Chinese medicine found plenty of beneficial effects in the consumption of bird nest.
Bird nest is very good for human lungs. It promotes quick recovery from lung infection. It is anti-phlegm and anti-coughing.
Many film stars consume bird nest to maintain young and energetic look. The ladies particularly like to consume bird nest because it assists in improving the skin especially facial complexion. It makes their faces appear bright and radiant.
For those just recovered from sickness, it is a best supplement. It speeds up recovery from sickness. For instance, a patient who has just gone through the chemotherapy treatment may consume bird nest to speed up recovery.
The epidermic growth factor and glycoprotein increase cell reproductive capacity. It is good for pregnant women. However, it must be consumed about three months well before pregnancy to achieve the desired effects. The desired effects include healthier mother and stronger and healthier baby. It is also good for baby as it improves mental growth. Beside epidermic growth factor, bird nest also contains mitogenic stimulation factor which can eliminate abdominal wrinkles which appear during pregnancy.
For the elderly, bird nest can be consumed as elixir tonic for longevity and good health.
Bird nest may help to release the stress through its medicinal effect. For smokers, it assists in improving the breathing system.
Bird nest should not be consumed by certain group of people. Infants below 4 years old should not take bird nest. It can be consumed by infants older than 4 years. The bird nest could be cooked longer to become bird nest porridge for the infants to take.
The patients who contract influenza should not take bird nest. It however, can be taken by the patients who suffer coughing only. The patients who suffer from other sicknesses and without medical treatment should not consume bird nest.
Those who are allergic to protein should not take bird nest.
This article is published in www.ezinearticles.com
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4. Echo Locating Swiftlets
Echo locating swiftlets (ELS) uses the sounds of their reflected calls to navigate in caves. The recognition of the type of swiftlets is by the nest built by them. Three out of four ELS produces edible bird nests.
ELS feed on insects during the day time and roost next to their nest at night.
The cave swiftlets lives in caves like Mulu and Niah in Sarawak and Gomantong in Sabah.. These caves may host hundreds of thousand of swiftlets together with bats. As bats are active in feeding at night and sleep during daytime, opposite to swiftlets' activities, they can co-exist with the swiftlets peacefully in the same cave.
The following are four types of common swiftlets:
1. Edible nest swiftlet – Aerodramus fuciphagus (12 cm)
It builds the edible white bird nest from its saliva. A pair of the bird will build the nest five times per year. Normally, each time it lays two eggs. Their calls are double clicks which used in echo locating rattle. The bird nests weigh 4.5 gram to 8 gram.
2. Black nest swiftlets – Aerodramus maximus (13cm)
It is the most common ELS. It builds dark nest make of saliva mixed with feather and plant material. Normally, the swiftlet lays one egg. It make single click in an echo location rattle.
3. Mossy nest swiftlets – Aerodramus salanganus (14 cm)
sample of mossy bird nest
The third commonest ELS. Build a small mossy nest which is of no commercial value on a ledge. It lays 2 eggs. It could found in Sarawak, including Niah. In Sabah, it breeds in Gomantong. It could be found in Kalimantan and Maratau Island. It has double clicks call which it uses in echo-locating rattle.
4. German’s swiftlets – Aerodramus germani (12 cm)
It is the least common ELS. It resembles the edible-nest swiftlet except for a paler rump. It produces valuable white nest. It could be found in coastal area where it nests in small colonies on sea cliff or small caves. It could be found in Sulu Sea, Palawan, Borneo, Peninsula Malaya. It has double clicks call.
5. Glossy swiftlets - Collocalia esculenta (9 cm)
It is one of the common birds of Borneo. It can be seen everywhere in the sky from the coast to lowland oil palm to montane forest. It feeds on mosquitoes and small insects. In town, it breeds in small colonies in shady building. In the forest, it builds nests under small rocky overhangs. It makes its nests from grass glued to the wall with saliva and is of minimal value. It is used by swiftlet farmers as foster parent to rear young edible swiftlets. Its call is high pitch trill.
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5. Glossy Swiftlet Fostering as a Strategy for Edible Bird Nest Swiftlet Farming
The earliest swiftlet farming for edible bird nest began in Java, Indonesia. It expanded rapidly with an estimate d 200,000 occupied swiftlet houses in Java, Sumatra, Borneo Malay Peninsula, Thailand and Vietnam.
Swiftlet farming started by chance when edible bird nest swiftlets (EBNS) began nesting in empty houses.
The farmers expanded the EBNS colonies by switching EBNS eggs into active nests of the very common Glossy Swiftlets so that Glossy Swiftlets could foster the young EBNS.
When the EBNS grows up, it returns to its "home colony" to build white bird nests.
In the jungle, both EBNS and Glossy Swiftlet rest in the same caves - Glossy Swiftlet nests in daylight whereas EBNS nests in darkness.
The farmer replicated this nesting habitat by building open but sheltered area for Glossy Swiftlet next to dark chamber for EBNS.
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6. Swiftlet Farming
Swiflets resting in a bird house
The fostering strategy was too slow. The farmers want instant colonies of edible bird nest swiftlets in their empty properties.
They converted a building to a covered space. They played pre-recorded sounds of active ENBS to nest in their building.
Nowadays, in Indonesia, Malay Peninsula, Thailand, tens of thousands of shophouses have been coverted into potential ENBS farms.
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7. Benefits of Bird Nest
Women who consume bird nest regularly will have better skin complexion. They will look younger and radiant with fairer skin.
Men who consume bird nest will improve kidney and strengthen lungs.
Pregnant women who consume bird nest during pregnancy will improve their immunity system, beneftis their foetus and assist in post natal recovery.
Elderly who consume bird nest will help to clear phlegm, strengthen lungs and kidneys, improve spleen and enhancing appetite.
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8. Birds That Produce Edible Bird Nests
Bird nest soup has been a delicacy in Chinese cuisine for five hundred years since the Ming Dynasty. Swiftlet is the only kind of bird capable of producing edible bird nest.
There are a few species of swiftlets renowned for building salivary nests which are the key ingredient in the bird nest soup.
Bird nest soup is one of the most expensive Chinese cuisines. It has plenty of nutritional benefits such as it can strengthen human lungs and improve the skin complexion.
The swiftlets producing edible nest are available in limited parts of the world. These areas include the Hainan Island of China, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo Island (consisting of Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei, Kalimantan) and the Philippines. Due to scarcity of the sources and high demand particularly in the mainland China, bird nests are sold at premium prices.
There are three major species of swiftlets that produce edible nest.
The first type is the white nest swiftlet. It has a scientific name called Aerodramus fuciphagus. It is about 12 cm long and weighs about 16 gram. It has brownish grey feather and dark brown eyes. Its calls are double click sounds which are used in echo-locating rattle in the caves. The bird nest weighs about 4.5 to 8 grams.
It constructs edible nest from its salivary secretion. It has a pair of large lobed salivary glands located under the tongue. The male swiftlet builds the nest. 85-97% of the nest is salivary glutinous strands of the swiftlet. It is the most sought after nest and its price is the highest among the swiftlet nests. A pair of swiftlets may build the nest three times annually. The female swiftlet lays two eggs each time during the breeding seasons.
The swiftlet house farmers prefer to keep this type of swiftlets. They will try to lure them to stay in the swiftlet house by playing pre-recorded swiftlet sounds.
The second species is black swiftlet. It is also known as Aerodramus maximus. It is larger than white nest swiftlet. Its length is about 13cm and weighs about 28 grams.
It builds dark nest from its salivary secretion mixed with feather and plant materials. Its feets are full of feathers. The feathers are used in the construction of its nest. 5-15% of the nest is the swiftlet’s salivary glutinous strands. Most of the bottled or canned nests are made of this type of swiftlet nest.
The third species is grass nest swiftlet. Its scientific name is Collocalia Esculenta. It has a glossy dark blue body. It is smaller than white nest swiftlet and black swiftlet. Its length is about 9cm. It has high pitch sounds.
It mixes grasses with its salivary secretion to build its nest. The nest is brown in color and contains 5-15% swiftlet’s salivary glutinous strands. The restaurants are looking for this type of swiftlet nest.
It is one of the most common birds in Borneo Island and is visible everywhere in the sky from lowland oil palms to montane forests. It feeds on mosquitoes and other small insects. In town, it stays in small colony in some shady buildings. In the forest, it constructs its nests under the rock overhangs.
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Gomantong Caves, Sabah
Gomantong Caves is famous for edible bird nest harvesting. It is located at the south of Sandakan Town of Sabah, East Malaysia.
The caves consist of 3 caves namely Simud Hitam, Simud Putih and Bobong Bulud. The three caves are interconnected.
In fact, the swiftlets are sharing the caves with the bats. One can see a spectacular view in the evening where the two group of inhabitants swap shifts. The bats stream out of the caves for night feeding in the form of waves which consists of hundreds of thousands bats. A little later, the swiftlets return from their foraging in the twilight skies above the forest in almost the equal number as the bats.
A spectacular view of hundreds of thousands of bats flying
out of Mulu Cave in the evening.
Due to the lucrative edible bird nest, historically many parties are fighting for the right of ownership of the Gomantong Caves. In 1881, North Borneo Chartered Company acquired Sabah. The British administrator succeeded the Sultan of Sulu in ownership of the caves right. At that time, a clerk was stationed to regulate the bird nest harvesting. The climber has to declare its harvest yo a Forest Guard. The bird nests would be sorted out at the District Forest Office before sales by tender.
In June 2000, the decendants of the heir to Gomantong Caves formed an action committee to look into the claim to the caves. They claimed 100% ownership of the caves from the Sabah State Government.
The Malaysia Insider on December 2010 reported that the inheritants of the caves was asking the Government to abandon the tender system for collecting bird nests so as to return the customary right to them as the local Bumiputra inhabitants.
Mulu Resort in Sarawak
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11. Why nitrite content of bird nest becomes a big issue in China?
Exposure to nitrates comes from food that we eat. Nitrate is present in the bird nest in a minimal quantity.
It was reported that the unscrupulous businessmen spray salt (sodium nitrate) onto the bird nest to gain more weight and therefore make bigger fortune. This makes the nitrate content of bird nest excessively high.
Nitrate is a potential human health threat especially to infant below 6 years old. The affected infant develops a blue-grey color and need emergency medical help immediately. This is called “blue baby syndrome”.
When nitrate is taken say from the bird nest, it is converted into nitrite in the human digestion system. Nitrite may combine with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin. As a result, the ability of blood to carry oxygen drops. This syndrome is known as methemoglobinemia.
Infants are more susceptible to nitrate toxicity than older children or adults.
Chronic consumption of high levels of nitrate may also cause other health problems, e.g. cancers.
In China, there are reported cases that pregnant women suffered from miscarriage after consuming blood bird nest for few months. Besides there are other health issue related to bird nest (especially blood bird nest) consumption.
Due to cumulative reported cases, the Chinese authorities investigated the issue and came to a conclusion that the nitrite content in the bird nest is the root of the problem. Therefore, the China Government put a ban on the import of bird nest from Malaysia pending the resolution of nitrite content.
The China Government insists to have zero nitrite content in bird nest, which to the bird nest industrialists are impractical to achieve. It could be achieved at a cost and thus pushing up the bird nest prices. Whether it is essential to eradicate the nitrate/nitrite content at all in bird nest is an issue for the China Government and Malaysian Government to resolve.
In fact, nitrate also presents in the drinking water. As a reference, the U.S Environment Protection Agency sets Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) for nitrogen in public drinking water systems. The MCL for nitrates is 10 milligrams per liter whereas nitrites one milligram per liter. These figures may be used as a yardstick to resolve the nitrite content issue.
Posted by Chai Yong of www.banyan-bird-nest.com
12. Factors to Be Considerd When You Wish to Build a Swiftlet House
Being a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, bird nest soup is made of edible bird nests that are produced by swiftlets. As trading of bird nest is a lucrative business, swiftlet ranching by building swiftlet house has been thriving in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.
To build a swiftlet house, you need to consider the following factors:-
1. Availability of swiftlet
First and foremost you must test the area where you wish to build a swiftlet house whether there are swiftlets. This can be done by using a special detector.
2. Location
Preferably your swiftlet house should be located outside the residential and commercial area. It can be in the middle of palm oil plantation. It must be near to the bushes and jungles with a river. The reason is that swiftlet food namely insects thrive in these types of environment. During day time when the air near the ground gets warmer, the insects are floated up to the sky where the swiftlets would feed on these insects.
3. Structure of swiftlet house
The swiftlet house could be reinforced concrete structure, unoccupied house, unoccupied shop lot or stacked up container.
You may rent unoccupied house or unoccupied shop lot.
Some farmers prefer to build their own swiftlet house. A double storey structure may cost you RM200,000. You need to get an engineer to design the structure. A cheaper option is to use containers. You need to build the bottom supporting frame either in reinforced concrete or steel structure. The container could be stacked on top of the supporting structure. A container may cost you about RM6,000. To keep a stable temperature in the container, you need to insulate the ceiling and wall of the container.
4. Living environment
You must create a living environment suitable for swiftlets that resembles to natural cave whereby it is dark and humid. For unoccupied houses and shop lots, you must block the windows and doors to shade the light. The temperature should be kept at between 28 – 30 degree Celcius and the humidity at 75 – 85 %. The coastal area is an ideal place where the average temperature does not change abruptly.
5. Sound system
Sound system include recorded swiftlet songs and equipments. You need two type of recorded songs namely external recorded song to entice the swiftlets to your house and internal recorded bird song to keep the swiftlet in the house. You need to engage an experienced consultant to advise and install the sound system for you.
6. Hygiene of the swiftlet house
You need to keep the swiftlet house clean. It must be cleaned once quarterly. You may consider to use some environmental friendly products like enzyme to neutralize the feces. It must be kept dry to prevent the growth of fungi.
7. Ventilation
The swiftlet house must be kept ventilated. The ventilation system must be cleaned weekly.
8. Security
Your sound system and bird nests in the swiftlet house are expensive items. You need to consider security to prevent theft. You may install CCTV or employ a staff to take care of the security of your swiftlet house.
This article is posted by Chai Yong from http://www.banyan-bird-nest.com
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