Why Swiftlet Loves To Build Their Nests at 90* Corners !!!!

I love to analyse things that I observed in all the BHs that I visited.

Everything that we installed in our BH have some good reasons.

All those happenings that we observed after we started our new BH must have very good reasons for them to happen.

One of the most common observation will be "Why our tenants loves to build their new nests at 90* corners?"

Why don't they choose those flat areas? Isn't it better that they choose the flat areas?

Hmm..... to us we wanted all our nests to be those of 180* shape with 4 fingers size, super white and 5" width.

We wanted each to weight more then 10 grams.

But why must they love those 90* corners?

I recently bought a few kg of raw nests from a friend and the moment I opened the plastic containers what I expected were not met.

Nearly 85% of the content were 90* in shape. I was very disappointed.

This must be from a very new BH and the owner must have just started to conduct his harvesting works.

Let us crack our head on some good reasons why those swiftlet loves 90* corners.



1) Safety:

If I am the bird, I will firstly locate my nest at a location where my wife, her two eggs and later young babies are safe from any possible predators.

The 90* corners gives what I wanted. I have three walls surrounding my nest. The two side wood panels and the roof.

This might be the most important reason.


2) Easy To Build.

Since the two nesting planks are orientated with 90* I can build my nest much easier.

I cling to one spot and swing my head from one plank to the other with those thick saliva. With very little body movements I can get my nest up in no time.

This might be the 2nd best reason to why I choose the 90* corner.


3) Roof are with no gap.

One of the most important features of a 90* corner is the gap with the ceiling.

I need a zero tolerance gap above my nest. Without any gap will make me feel save especially from anything that comes from the other side of the nesting planks.

Beside predators I also need to make sure that my young chicks will not be exposed to those heavy breeze flowing on my nest. They will be dehydrated and die if they are exposed to heavy wind.

This is something that I feel important for my babies.


4) The light intensity.

Since there are three walls (two at the sides and one above) surrounding my nest, they will make the nesting area darker.

I have these echolocation ability and I can fly in total darkness.

Darkness means safe to my nest, wife and babies.

Very few predators can fly in total darkness.



5) Faster in Its Construction.

The faster my nest is readied the faster I can get my sexual intercourse with my partner. Remember once I penetrate her and release those sperms she need a properly readied nests within 8 days to lay her first egg.

90* corners allows me to accelerate the construction thus allows me to have sex sooner as compared to building at a 180* surface.

This fifth reason might be the best and most important reason among all. It is all about sex.

Remember the first time you wanted to have sex? You do nearly everything just to get her to say yes please make love to me now?

6) Stronger Nest Structure.

The amount of saliva produce during every breeding cycle is more or less the same, except during a severe weather conditions.

By choosing a 90* corner, the saliva can be used more effectively. They same volume can be used to strengthen the walls and the seats. There will be larger surface areas for my nest to be glued to. This will eventually prevent my nest from pealing out of the planks.

Peeling of nests do happens in most BHs that are occasionally flooded due to water system failures. Once your BH is flooded the humidity will be supercharged to above 100%. The nest tends to absorb the water in the air and they will become soft. Once the water in the nests is too much the peeling of the nest from the nesting planks will start to occur. If the gap between the nest and the wall become too wide the eggs will slip out and falls to the floor.

This factor is something that we rarely observed. Only those who happened to have water pipes problems will observe this phenomena.



With all the reasons given I think by now you know why 90* corners are a preferred place for those birds.

You can either look at it as a negative point of view or use this weakness to benefit your plans to populate your new BH.

If I were you I will surely give as many 90* corners to my tenants. Let them enjoy those 90* nests building and once the total number of nests exceed my target number, say 300 nests, I will then install those corner covers.