Edible Birds Nests

Several species of swiftlet produce nests that are edible to man. This nest is that of a Mascarene swiftlet, found on the islands of Mauritius and Reunion. Edible nests are made from saliva, which hardens into a thick gum-like substance when exposed to the air. They are found in dark caves and tunnels, where they are attached to the walls by sticky threads.

There is a long tradition in southeastern Asia of harvesting nests to produce bird’s nest soup, which is considered to be a delicacy. However, rising demand and a growing illegal trade has put the Mascarene swiftlet on the near threatened list at the IUCN list of threatened species.

http://www.iucnredlist.org

The photo was taken at the Natural History Museum, Oxford, UK.