Language: English
Since the end of the 16th century, the edible nests of swiftlets have roused the curiosity of European travellers to South-east Asia, while at the same time providing one of the most important constituents of traditional Chinese medicine. For both cultures – western and eastern – Swiftlets of Borneo clarifies the nature of these nests, the lives of the birds that build them, and the exploitation of this highly valuable natural resource.