“On 9th March 2013, I was observing Glossy Swiftlets (Collocalia esculenta) flying in and out from under the overhanging roof of a bungalow at Fraser’s Hill, Peninsular Malaysia. Upon closer inspection, I discovered two greenish nests, spaced about half a metre apart. The one on the right had just been completed, with the resident swiftlet settled in very comfortably (above).
“On the other hand, the swiftlet on the left was still busy constructing. It would fly off at regular intervals and return with a mouthful of fibrous moss and lichen (above). These would then be carefully arranged and meticulously attached to the existing foundation.
“By 13th March, the swiftlet had made substantial progress and its nest was probably very close to completion (above). Glossy Swiftlets are known to breed all year, laying two small (ca. 18 x 11 mm), white eggs (Robson, 2000).
Dr. Leong Tzi Ming
Singapore
20th March 2013
Acknowledgement
I am grateful to Subaraj Rajathurai for his swift confirmation of the swiftlet’s identity and kindly sharing his personal observations on these birds around Fraser’s Hill.
Reference:
Robson, C., 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd, London. 504 pp.