Hi!
Does anyone know something about commercial houses for swiftlets? I am interested in doing this topic for my dissertation, but I only have a few articles about it. I also need some guidelines in doing this dissertation.
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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First of all, why are you interested in this topic? I am not sure what Swiftlet is. You will find that you will receive more help if you are more forthcoming about your own interests and thoughts.
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Hi Shiraz!
FYI, a swiftlet is a kind of bird which produces a nest which is made from its saliva and it lives in caves. The nests are edible and believed to posses potent nutritional and medicinal powers, they fetch high prices. Malaysia is among the countries which produce (in Mulu Cave) and export the nest. Therefore, this species and its nests are listed as endangered species. So, people then have turn or make a house or building for the species as their habitat. They will make their nests in the house. But the problem is these communities have chosen a particular house/building as their habitat (since they're not just living in all buildings, they know how to choose it!!)
So, this is the thing that I need to find out and make a research.
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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I am wondering whether you have found any relevant materials regarding this matter. I am from Indonesia, and I heard of people going into the swiftlet house business and am wondering whether there is any scientific or better method to build a swiftlet house or why they even choose any particular house to live in.
So, in this sense your dissertation is very interesting to me... I am just starting to search on the net and found this forum. If you read this and do not mind sharing information, my email is davinkort@hotmail.com
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Davin, it looks like Izzah and you have a conflict of interest here. He wants to make a bird house into which the birds will come and where their nests will NOT be touched, whereas you want just the opposite. Am I right?
I'm also curious about what happens to the eggs when the nest is taken? Is it replaced by a synthetic nest? Are the eggs also sold off? If this is the case, wouldn't the birds move their nesting location the year after?
In Boston, we have the opposite problem. Some environmentalist groups are trying to prevent the geese from nesting in the city because it leads to conflicts between these not so friendly big birds and people, and cars, etc. So they oil the eggs (with regular cooking oil), which prevents the eggs from growing. And, it has proven to be an effective population control method, as well as a good method for moving the geese further up the river, away from the city; because, they understand, after a while, that this is not the best place for their nests or eggs.
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Hi Davin and Izzah,
This posting may be a bit late but I'll give it a try anyway.
Swiftlet farming in Malaysia seems to be booming at the moment. I'm a lawyer by profession and just this month alone, 3 of my clients had asked me to draft and execute long term leases with owners of pre-war shophouses in order for those places to be converted into swiftlet farms for the collection of edible birds nests.
I'm no expert, but from what I have learnt from my clients (and they tend to share quite a lot), swiftlets that produce edible birds nests can be found in and around the Nanyang region, which in geographical terms, is the South East Asian countries.
According to them, swiftlets can basically live and nest anywhere, on the condition that there is ample humidity and coolness in that nesting site.
The humidity factor should be around 75-85% and the temprature should hover in and around 28-32 degrees celsius.
However, the secret to having a successful swiftlet farm lies in the way and method in which the farm attracts the swiflets. As swiftlets are nomadic creatures, they need to know that there is a place for them to successfully nest. We just can't catch a few of these birds and place them into a swiftlet farm and hope that they will nest. My guess is that those prevously captured birds would be so traumatized that they would fly off and never return once they are released into the farm.
My clients use durable audio systems with specialized tweeters and speakers which play nesting and mating calls of the swiflets themselves that were recorded in caves and other swiftlet farms. These mating calls serve as an attracting device which attracts and notifies flying swiftlets that there is a potential nesting ground just right below them and for them "check it out" by flying inside to have a look.
Here are some service provider sites that may be of interest to you guys:
www.nesttech.com.my
www.ebnresources.ebigchina.com
www.crystalswiftlets.com
cheers,
Ken
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Kenneth, thanks for the website. Quite useful.
I believe the nest with eggs are not touched, until they hatch. The owners would certainly want the birds to hatch and fly back to make more nests :)
Anyone else has more info on what is the method to lure the birds besides loud bird mating music?
Any particular design of the ceilings of the house, the entrance to the shops, etc?
Do drop me an email at ujcheng123AThotmail.com
Thanks.
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Hi Chieh Cheng,
Sorry for the late reply. Didn't know that the thread had expanded while I was away.
You are probably right that the eggs are left untouched. the clients from my law firm have told me that it's really in their best interest to let the baby swifts grow up and fly away as they will return in another 8 months to nest in the same swiftlet farm. I do sincerely believe that such an approach is the best approach to help them increase the edible birds nests yileds in their swiftlet farms while at the same time, and most importantly, this approach is an effective approach towards conservation, of as well as, increasing the number of swiftlets and help remove these species from the endangered species list.
Well, according to my clients breeding swiftlets is not like rearing chickens and ducks whereby they can be isloated in farms. Swiftlets have to fly around and that loud swiftlet mating sounds are played to attract them to nest in these farms. They have explained that they spend substantial sums of money purchasing specialise advance swiftlet breeding equipment in order to attract swiftlets breeding in other people's swiftlet farms into theirs.
Well, it seems that the swiftlet breeding market in Malaysia is growing quite strongly, whiich probably agurs very well for conservation efforts for the species. I guess that this is probably one of the few commercial businesses that also helps in protecting the environment.
Cheers,
Kenneth
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Hey guys,
For those who are interested, here's an update about the various swiftlet farming regulations that currently exists in Malaysia. The quotation below is an authorized extraction from the swiftlet farming book with the following citation:
Lee, J. and Hai Kuan, 'Swiftlet Farming - The Complete Introductory Guide to Swiftlet Farming', Struan Inc. Sdn. Bhd., Penang, 2005, at Pgs 96-98.
"The relevant laws and by-laws governing a swiftlet farm are as follows:
s.27 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976
ss.70(1), 70(12), 70(13), 79 and 86 of the Road, Drainage and Building Act 1974
Destruction of Disease Bearing Insects Act 1975
Animals Protection Act 1972
Residential properties that are zoned as completely residential are not allowed to be converted into swiftlet farms. Eg. Residential houses, apartments, townhouses, bungalows, etc.
Heritage Buildings categorized under Category 1 of the Herritage Use Guidelines are not allowed to be converted into swiftlet farms.
Buildings which are zoned for commercial use are allowed to be converted into swiftlet farms.
Areas that are zoned for agricultural use can be used for swiftet farming on condition that the relevant council gives approval to change the use of the land from agricultural use to building use.
The ground floor of the property is not allowed to be converted into a swiftlet farm, unless a special approval is obtained from the relevant council for such a use. The relevant council will only give approval for the use of the ground floor as a swiftlet farm if the building has been left untenanted/abandoned for a particular period of time.
The façade of the building must be in harmony with its surroundings. The relevant council will not allow substantial structural change to be made to the façade of the building.
The building must not be higher than 5 floors in order for the relevant council to give approval for the conversion into a swiftlet farm.
Any change to the inside of the building that impacts on the structure of the building must be certified by a civil engineer or architect with regards to the structural integrity of the structure.
A building plan must be submitted and approved by the relevant council for any additional floor that is added to the building.
All outside speakers/tweeters must be aimed towards the sky with at least 60 degrees away from the floor base."
Hope that the above information is useful. Should you guys need more information about the regulatory framework with regards to swiftlet farming, you can contact the authors at:
enquiries@crystalswiftlets.com
Cheers,
Kenneth
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Hi Kenneth,
Hv read yr comments regarding Swiftlet bird house with full interest.
Kindly reply to me at terra@pc.jaring.my for u to draft latest Tenancy Agreement with building owner for same purposes...i.e. birdhouse.
cheers, awang
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Thesis: Commercial swiftlet nesthouse
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Izzah must've finished her thesis by now. Anyway, there is no fixed guideline on commercial swiftlet houses. Its an evolving industry which lacks research, proper scientific research.
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