Dear Brother WW,

Need your opinion on having partitions for birdhouse. I was told with partition, the birds population grows faster. Is this true? I am thinking of making a partial partition from the ceiling down 4' by using 4' x 4' abestos ceiling board.

Another is the bazooka, does it really works? Some people recommend that I fix in my birdhouse.

By the way mine is a standalone on agriculture land.

Thnks for your assistance

I assume we are talking about the same Dr Chris?
He has his own website at
http://www.swiftletfarming.com.my/
His wares are available online

Let me try to answer your questions with the little that I know,
1. Partitions is good if you have too big a nesting area as it would create more grouping of swiftlets. To my knowledge, Swiftlets do have their leaders and never like to share nesting area with other groups and they do fight over territories. By spitting the area into partitions, you have created new territories for other groups of swiftlets to stare new families in your BH; a position move, I would say.

2. Partition should be full and not half/ partial.

3. Long range bazooka is needed if your BH fail to attract birds and your area is alittle away from the birds's source and so as to attract the birds to your BH ....like us using bullhorn to yell "Offer. Offer" to the public far away but not needed if the public is just at the door step. Surely, it can only be use on BH away from town or the authorities will tear your BH down in no time.

Hope that do help you in deciding your next move.

I would like to share below from ..........

Someone pm me on the lights installed in the BH, side and at the entrance of the BH.
(((((
(hi, can i ask about the light install like the photo below???

is it ok???

is the light will pass to the nesting room??
swiftlet bird like the light like that??)))))))

Since I did mentioned that I shall share with all and hope that all will share their experiences with me and comment if I am wrong.

To me, to install, you must have a reason and to my understandings, it is to prevent the predators . To act as a beacon for the far away birds to home. To show the new birds the exit of the BH. To prevent thieves from stealing.

I never use lighting in the BH and the only lighting used is when I do nests harvesting. Light can only be use outside of the birdhouse and never in the nesting area as that will prevent the nests’ growth. Although, there are good reasons like as in the above reasons for lights to be installed………I will only use them if required as so far I never have a BH out of town. I have tried using light in the roving area but that seem to attract bird but in the end, lesser or no nest growth in my BH and so I discarded such idea.

To add, even birds call is also discarded in my successful BH (External and Internal) as I believe that the original sound made by the thousand birds are better than those from the tweeters and less disturbance to the neighbours.

Again as always, above postings are my own views on the matters and others may have different views and hope that they will also share their experiences and views on the subjects above.

Found an interesting link to the differentiation of Collocolia into Fuciphagus & Domesticus
http://www.slideshare.net/yongkangbirdnest...lets-specialist
I do not know who put these together or it's sufficiently authoritative.
I may not have been very clear in my earlier posting, these are my thoughts in the eventuality that the one stop centre proposal doesnt take off.
1)Lobby you local MP to raise a private member bill in parliament to differentiate Collocalia into Fuciphagas & Domesticus.
Notice there IS research to attest to the differentiation, thus far there is NO research to challenge this. This way Perhilitan is removed from the picture altogether and only takes care of Fuciphagus which in reality really require their full attention. Also this will afford opportunities to better allocate their ALWAYS-short enforement resources. Since this forum has active members spread throughout, I think it is a worthwhile and feasible effort.

Hi Brother West Wing,

Thank you for the suggestion. I will discuss this with my partner and hopefully can start the partition this December during monsoon season when the birds stop breeding.

I was informed that there are 3 breeding seasons a year, is this true? Normally which month?

How long did the bird take from eggs laying to maturity of the youngs?

Thanks again for your assistance

Too basic so you need to read up on the above and as for the 3 breeding seasons yearly, my opinion is that there are 3 breeding seasons for the wild swiftlets due to climate changes, weather, physical changes and food supply and also harvesting method but for our house(domesticated) species, there are also 3 major seasons but many overlapping ones as ours BHs are controlled environment, suitable conditions and selective harvesting of used nests after birds have fledged. My harvesting of nests can be done almost every month selectively. These house swiftlets have evolved into new species and will not survive in cave again as we have provided them with perfect sanctuaries that they have became dependence on us for providing them with full security and prefect conditions of their nesting home.

Above, my own views on the matter only. Happy to hear other opinions or view on it, too.

Newsclip from StarBiz;

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...37&sec=business

same comments as before.

thx cergau for the excellent link, i had difficulty finding something like that!

aaa... yes, Dr. Chris, the nephrologist at Serdang Hospital. I have a few MO friends there but none even knew about his other 'specialty'!!!

another academic voice is Dr. Lim Chan Koon, UNIMAS. One of his studies is included in Perhilitan booklet.

Hi WW,

I would like to know why you suggest full partition not half/partial partition?

I am using top down partition now (2 feet from the ceiling). In my opinion, it will help to block some light, create colony (I hope) and do not block the birds flying path.

Thanks

Bro WW,
Same here as CWG. 1' top down nesting plank extension right below the concrete beam as colony separator. What is the reason that full partition is preferred by you ?

Another question.
I have observed less birds entering BH during the current monsoon. Where do birds go during heavy rain ?

They go on holidays to the Carribean? Just kidding bro. I only noticed that the birds enter earlier during rain. Thats the limit of my experience.

So far not using any partitions... i don't know what to expect yet, can't estimate how many sqft of nesting area should be considered large enough for a colony plus most of the visits were to shoplot BH's (colony partition based on number of rooms). Since each floor is 30x80... it has 10 'petak' of 15x16ft (maybe around 13.5x14.5 minus the beams, and minus 1 petak each floor for LAL). The standalones i've visited most of them had no partitions at all... so i'm in the dark about this.

i found a blog can exchange the swiftlet sound like black cloud, tongkat ali ...........which "someone" sell it quite expansive.
please visit this link.
http://swiftletsong.blogspot.com/

Hi Brother WW,

Thanks for your advice. After consulting with some friends and due to problem in fitting full wall partition, I have decided to start my original plan of just fixing partial partition in two areas where there are no birds at all.

Thanks and regards

In full partition, I mean that just like making room, you leave an approximate 4 feet area for the bird to enter to the new nesting room. The reason for full partition are to control light and wind disturbance and that you will be able to control the new area as a new nesting area like changing the sound. Partial partition will create air disturbance and light disturbance and so even vibration when strong wind blow.

During monsson season, strong wind prevented the birds from returning and we understand the facts that the swiftlets do no require a shelter but only a home to build their nests so when they do not have a reason to return, they may not or will not try to return. They can stay, eat, sleep and have sex in the sky and that's the reason why new BH owners must be patient with their BH and if they find that the birds are not returning as usual, that's normal as they may return after a few days later for the very reason that they don't have eggs or chicks to take care off. That's the same reason why more chicks will die during the monsoon season as the parent birds cannot return due to the strong monsoon wind/ rain that prevented them.......but the warm high humility of the BHs will keep most of chicks still alive when their parent birds return home to feed.


That's my observation and reasons for the recommendation in providing the best method in expansion of man-made Swiftlets Sanctuaries. Remember that the above findings are of my own and since it is base on my own's, others owners may not share my idea and should comment or disagree if necessary.

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Added on November 14, 2009, 10:41 amOh, let me give you a case history of one of my BHs, once I did a partition and what happened was that all of the sudden, the partitioned nesting area, all the new nest suddenly are of different type and in my case, they are hugh 4 fingers nest instate of the formal 2-3 size ones.

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Added on November 14, 2009, 12:28 pmAnother story to tell.....another friend has 5 shoplots converted to BH and the whole of the 5 floors are not partition and only 5 nests.

I was invited there to try to solve his problem and I told him to partition off part of the building into small nesting rooms and he is happy with the result. My reasoning to him is that your nesting area is like a football field and who like to sleep in a football field which is too airy and too much disturbances.

Again, as always, that my own reasoning.

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Added on November 16, 2009, 10:08 amFellow Bro,

Any idea of what is the latest/successful external bird song as a friend asked me about it????

As I don't go for the latest or the most sucessful one, maybe someone here can help me out.

This post has been edited by West Wing: Nov 16 2009, 10:08 AM

Hi!!

Im curious, how can I get genuine bird audio?? how to distinguish the genuine and the fake cd?

Im interested to try swiftlet farming but on small scale, but having difficulty to get genuine bird sound's audio.

Anyone can help me?

Ooops.. I meant Aerodramus

thanks WW.actually how big the bh is suitable partition????80fX23f???suitable??

How big is big is debatable as this is really a subjective matter. To me, I will partition off a certain area if the birds are located a one particular unused location or that the increment is not as expected. To my findings, many group of Swiftlets are different in nature and their liking and expectation of breeding area also differ; some like it dark but other prefer otherwise and so by partition off, you may suddenly find that the new partition off area become so popular with a certain group of swiftlets that they start building nest instantly. The most importance of all is that the birds must be visiting your BH inorder for any increment of nests anyway. To me, 80 by 23 is rather big to be solo and no harm partition off a certain part first and let the birds choose, area one or two?

Above are my own belief of what birds will do and not from any books so other may want to add their findings to share among fellowmen here. Hopefully, here, we are all for the swiftlets and birdnests for all!!!

thanks WW,good sharing..
so the BH must got the place from little light to dark....then can let swft bird choose their place they like,right??
like ground floor is dark,second floor little lilitle light,and third floor little light.

These few weeks, haven't anyone notice that many BH owners have been complaining about lack of birds' activities in the BHs?

As many have harvested all the nests for the monsoon harvest but then, most have found that there isn't any new nest appearing. Can anyone think of the reason why???

Possibilities like shortage of food during this period or what??
Mine is still OK according to my family as I still on medical leave. I don't do total harvesting and my nests still the same but wish to know how about other area esp. the town ones?

Look like birdnest is in shortfall as price move slightly to 4.5k for A or above. However, as we r harvesting nest not much new marking is found esp on old house but plenty in younger house. I believe i need to wait til feb after another 2 round of harvesting.

Just wish to brief our bro in West Msia about recent approval of 60 licenses to BH in sarawak. In sarikei 20, Mukah 2, sibu 0, rest allover states. so only about 2-3% r successful. All subject to clearance from local council. Look at 2day star news on the federal court ruling that council has no ground to take us to court. This is impt impact for bird industry in future. Good news to us. Forestry bring 10 Bh in mukah to court recently. Need support fr our big bro in WM to advise.

Recently SEDC, govt body was given approval to set up eco park with the first one in Mukah. Most farmers continue to build standlone Bh without license in agri land. We r not sure about our future as Forestry here refuse directives fr Federal office. But most farmers in towns already blasting music esp for new houses.