I always disagree with any form of tagging of swiftlets as it may cause many problems to the swiftlets. Even handling of swiftlets unnecessary is a no no to me like a friend who use to move the almost to fledged birds to one side to harvest the nests.

Knowing swiftlets,

1. Swiftlets need to fly fast and accurate to catch tiny flying insects and like adding weight to the body of the swiftlets, it will slower down the speed and even miss the food due to the misalignment of the flight like arrow imbalance. They are tiny and light weighted animal unlike others that a little weight do make alot of difference. In tiny insect hunting, a tenth of a mm make a big difference in securing a meal.

2. Stress and discomfort to the swiftlets and will the tag interfere with the abilities of the swiftlet in anyway.

3. Will the swiftlets return again to home after suffering from such tagging and handling for tagging.

Too many IF and Qs must be check before the tagging can take place.

Just my opinion.

I don't think tagging swiftlet is even possible atm. I've searched online and the smallest GPS tagging weighs 300-400 grams, that's heavier than the swiftlets themselves who only weigh like 10-20 grams each. They can fit on large birds like eagles and falcons but definitely not swiftlets!

As for RFID tagging, RFID chips only have an effective range of a few hundred yards. We know that the swiftlets fly over 50km in a day therefore RFID is out of the question as well.

The only method it seems, if there's any ornithologist out there that wants to study the AF swiftlets is to observe them, that's the only way.

How about using odorless nail polish to draw a band on the legs ?

Different colors on each left/right leg could create maybe a hundred unique ID.

It's true that swiftlets are too fragile to handle but years ago someone I know of took 20 birds out from a farm then painted their wings with color and let go of them more than 100km away from the farm, guess what? 17 out 20 came back to where they live! Don't ask me how many days for all birds to fly home because I also suffer from CRS!

Device today can be made under 1.5g to track songbirds. Swiftlets can be tagged too....I expect more hate comments to roll in...

That's quite an amazing feat and experiment, sifu WW might not approve of your actions though haha

I have no problem with ppl tagging swiftlets as long as they are doing that for research and the betterment of this industry, but I don't think with current technology it is possible to track them. Even if you paint them or mark them, because they do not perch like most other birds how are you gonna observe them once they fly away?

You can only tell that they came back like in your experiment!

I think the vet dept wants to get the GPS location of each BH for their database, as this is far more accurate than street address etc.

As for tracking the birds, it can only be done with tagging and then checking participating BHs for specific tags. GPS on birds currently not possible, battery or solar power already too heavy. Too many limitations. Radio collars maybe but then again short ranged and heavy too.

VET dept's rfid is to tag nests coming from specific BH so that they can identify the nests but this is easily removed during processing, this is supposedly to be able to identify nest from each BH to aid identification of nest in case of disease, adulteration etc.

I heard the rumour that spouse of high level VET dept.head sells RFID chips.

Crazy ideas from equally crazy people with nothing better to do.

I just heard of a song with the lyric " God is great, beer is good, men are crazy" and I think it apply here..........

What is worse is that we pay for their salaries and again pay for their services via licenses etc.

Our lady Dr. perhaps thinks is about time she became richer and famous, for whatever reasons.

For me, it is really quite straightforward. Make all birds' nest processors adhere to certain reasonable standards and SIRIM( or whichever dept.) will audit all standards for export so that any importer will be confident of the Made in Malaysia mark.

Also that way we do not become victims of non Malaysian processors.

As with any food product, irradiation can be used to kill all the bacteria so that preservatives are not needed. Nitrites and nitrates are used as preservatives as well as enhance colour.

Vacuum packaging will ensure products remain viable for a longer period.

No export of raw EBN, and if our processing standards are good, nobody will need to export raw EBN. China will beg for the supply of Made in Malaysia EBN.

Why track and trace when we are capable of processing to an acceptably high standard.

MOA needs their heads checked.

Need to ask sifus here for some advise,

Went to visit a piece of land in Bentong today, tried bird calling and there were some birds. My friend wants me to JV with him building a BH there since we're pretty close I'm really giving it a thought.

My concern would be Bentong being so close to Genting Highlands so its geographical location should be on high ground. Does that affect the number of AF in that area? I see some BHs in Bentong area but have no time/energy to find out how successful they are. Thanks for any input!

"In God/Birds we trust, all others must pay cash" men replied.

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Added on August 15, 2011, 12:49 pmMaybe It's time to refocus our vision and to reorder our priorities to build a downstream processing industry of high standard??

"We are now faced with the face that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr



This post has been edited by swift4ever: Aug 15 2011, 12:49 PM

Did anyone read the China Press today. Someone told me that the paper reported that 2 Malaysia Malay Datuk from Govt. Dept. was giving press conference to the chinese that Malaysian Red BN is real and safe for consumption and these red nest are not fake but the Datuks at the press conferance are Fake Datuks.

Is that what is reported in the paper. If's correct, " ini pun boleh! Dulu sarang palsu, sekarang, Datuk pun palsu!!!! "

http://www.nanyang.com/node/376329?tid=643

Sifu ww, found the link to this article. Haha these ppl are amazing, pretend to be fake datuk, fake vet dept officer and fake press conference.

The authorities should do researches on way to improve quality, quantity and study on food sources of the swiftlets. We do know that swiftlets do feed on large variety of insects but what does the swiftlet really prefer because in the wild. the swiftlets do not have a choice of food and will take all types if able and when available. Or if the swiftlet do need a large variety of insects to produce nests. We do have own theories on what temperature, conditions and others which we do take for granted just that we feel more safe with the methods but then it may be wrong or prefect.

Just because we are successful, that doesn't mean that all what we did are all correct and maybe we are just lucky to be at the right place at the right time and like me, just many times lucky. There isn't any scientific and real evidence to prove what we did is prefect for swiftlets unless someone did a survey and study on these topics and prove that what we did all these while are right and not just plain lucky but luck isn't all in this trade and you do need alot of expertise and knowledge.

Those who are doing master or PHD in the field should do a study on these projects and I believe that you will be easier to submit a project or thesis as there aren't many peers in this field out there to prove you otherwise.

Only my opinion to share on my favorite subject.

Hi WW

Good comment. Wonder under graduate will take up the challenge. If so they will ask you
to contribute infomation to them with your vast experiences

BTW if I did not get it wrongly about the Nanyang article, the conference is in Guangzhou.
What was Matrade office in Guangzhou doing zzzzzzzzzzzzzz . Too bad I dont
read or write mandarin. Can someone write to the China newspaper and ask them to refer
to Matrade office to verify any future 'fake conference'.

Well, 'Health minister is looking into the matter. If he is seious, it would not be difficult to locate
the fake 'datuks'. For sure the hotel has something call CCTV and the hotel would have record
of the organisor who booked the conference room.

I think the press conference was held in Zhe Jiang province, south of Shanghai.

We have fake sifus that charge thousand per course (but telling you do at your own risk, I no sifu), fake nests, fake Gomen officers, what next?

Hope not fake birds flying inside and outside our BHs during this 7th month. Having double vision or wat, need cuci mata. May be that fake news from China Press

This post has been edited by Bobby C: Aug 16 2011, 05:26 PM

We have Matrade in Shanghai too. Wonder the Matrade Shanghai office knew about this
coz zzzzzzzzzzzzz

They must have tagged the two Indonesian as Malaysian Datuk by the same mistake that they tagged the Indonesian processed EBN as Made-in-Malaysia.

Dear all, long time no posting here...... how are you all here ..... hope you all laugh all the way to the bank every 4 months after harvesting Actually i have a favour to ask you all, do you have any idea where to buy stainless steel mesh in Malaysia ? If in Johor Bahru better still..... please email me tongserseng@yahoo.com.my if you know where to buy and please indicate the price if possible to avoid slaughtered by retailers. Thanks

Our dear government is trying to promote and wanted to have a bigger share of the cake for birdnest
market, which is good for local economy. Since so many negative news and now fake Datuks and press conference
claimed to be Malaysian, is sabotaging Malaysian birdnest. What is our government doing to address this serious
problem before it is beyond repair. Sad to say , this is our gomen way.....Frank Sinatra

Last nite from Guangxzhou news (Astro Channel 304) announced another batch of Blood Bidnest found contaminated again.
Tha factory claimed that they are doing the packaging only. News was that the factory add color to the ordinary white nest,
Again the birdnest was reported to be from Malaysia?????

In the interview, a guy told the media that real blood nest hardly been found only a small %. Others blood nests are either due to oxidixation or coloring.

Just sharing the news, no offence to anyone. Salam