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Edible bird's nest is made by swiftlets of the Apodidae family from saliva mixed with a small amount of feathers. Once dried, it is prized as a premium ingredient in traditional Chinese tonics. Major Asian sources include Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, with Sumatra in Indonesia and Sabah in Malaysia particularly well known. Alongside edible bird's nest, the traditional Four Great Dried-Seafood Delicacies include fish maw, ,sea cucumber and cordyceps . Main categories of edible bird's nest Classified by nesting environment: House nests:Swiftlets build these nests in purpose-built nesting houses, where stable conditions result in fewer impurities and a typically ivory-white colour. They are the market mainstream. Cave nests:Built in natural caves, these nests vary in colour with mineral exposure and include white, yellow and red varieties. Production is limited. Classified by shape: Whole nests:Complete bowl-shaped nests with minimal processing, strong presentation and the highest value. Bird's-nest strips:Strips reassembled from sections that break away from whole nests, at a mid-range price. Bird's-nest cake:Pressed into round cakes using bird's-nest pieces or strands, most affordable. Blood bird's nest, Dragon's tooth bird's nest:Rare, collectible-grade varieties. For a closer look, see Why Is Edible...
