swiftlets
Small Asian birds
Swiftlets are small, fast-flying birds found across South and Southeast Asia, related to swifts.
They nest in caves, and several species build nests entirely from hardened saliva—the source of bird's nest soup, a prized delicacy in Chinese cuisine.
Swiftlet colonies number in the thousands in some Malaysian caves.
Making a dwelling
- aerialElevated, or signal-catcher
- insectivorousFeeding on six-legged creatures
- flockAnimals gathered together
- wingedHaving flight appendages
feathers · migratory · egg-laying · clutch · habitat · species · gliding · perching
Safe to consume
- salivaMouth's digestive secretion
- harvestGathering mature crops
- gelatinousViscous and semisolid
- delicacyRefined sensitivity or rarity
luxury · soup · expensive · trade · collectors · scaffolding · sustainable · farming
Brief sharp sounds
- navigationDetermining position and course
- biosonarSound-based animal navigation
- echoesReflected sound waves
- orientationPosition relative to surroundings
vocalization · auditory · frequency · soundwaves · darkness · sensory · acoustic · ultrasonic
Settling to sleep aloft
- subterraneanBeneath earth's surface
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- karstEroded soluble rock terrain
- grottoSmall scenic cavern
darkness · chamber · colony · guano · speleology · spelunker · underground · cliff
nesting
Making a dwelling
- aerialElevated, or signal-catcher
- insectivorousFeeding on six-legged creatures
- flockAnimals gathered together
winged · feathers · migratory · egg-laying · clutch · habitat · species · gliding · perching · ornithology
edible
Safe to consume
- salivaMouth's digestive secretion
- harvestGathering mature crops
- gelatinousViscous and semisolid
delicacy · luxury · soup · expensive · trade · collectors · scaffolding · sustainable · farming · ranching
clicks
Brief sharp sounds
- navigationDetermining position and course
- biosonarSound-based animal navigation
- echoesReflected sound waves
orientation · vocalization · auditory · frequency · soundwaves · darkness · sensory · acoustic · ultrasonic · calling
roosting
Settling to sleep aloft
- subterraneanBeneath earth's surface
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- karstEroded soluble rock terrain
grotto · darkness · chamber · colony · guano · speleology · spelunker · underground · cliff · crevice
swiftletsostriches
Largest living birds
flightless birds · emus · penguins · kiwis · cassowaries
swiftletsostriches
Largest living birds
condors · albatrosses · mute swans · pelicans · cassowaries