Indonesia Is Building Luxury Birdhouses To Attract Swiftlets For Their Saliva Nests

In the lush landscapes of Indonesian Borneo, an unexpected type of building dots the green fields: multistory concrete structures, home not to humans, but to swiftlets. These small birds, known for their unique nests made of saliva, are the centerpiece of a lucrative industry that caters to the Chinese market’s demand for bird’s nest soup, a delicacy believed to offer health benefits.

Source: Noal Farm/YouTube

To attract these picky inhabitants, owners like Zulkibli, a government worker from the village of Perapakan, have turned to constructing luxurious accommodations. These birdhouses are designed to offer the utmost comfort and safety, mimicking the swiftlets’ natural cave habitats but with added benefits like controlled temperature and predator protection. The key, Zulkibli notes, is cleanliness and an environment free of pests, ensuring the birds feel as pampered as “rich humans.”

Indonesia stands as the world’s largest exporter of swiftlet nests, with the Sambas Regency in West Kalimantan being a major production hub. Here, swiftlets thrive in the coastal, insect-rich marshlands. The business of nest harvesting has seen such profitability that the number of birdhouses in the region has surged, leading to a competitive market where owners use creative strategies, including playing recordings of swiftlet clicks, to attract these valuable guests.

Despite the boom, challenges loom. Climate change, deforestation for palm oil plantations, and government regulations on nest exports have impacted the industry. Suhardi, an early adopter of birdhouse construction, notes a significant decrease in production and income due to environmental changes and new trade policies.

Yet, the connection between birdhouse owners and their avian guests remains strong. Zulkibli, whose house has been targeted by thieves 20 times, still cherishes his role as a protector of these birds, emphasizing a bond that goes beyond financial gain. As some in the industry pivot to alternative crops, the fate of these birdhouses, and the swiftlets they were built for, hangs in the balance, reflecting broader environmental and economic shifts.

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