The reproduction and growth of edible-nest swiftlets require appropriate environmental conditions, such as a temperature between 26 °C to 35 °C, humidity between 80-90%, and sufficient food sources. Hence, these swiftlets are only found in Southeast Asia. Malaysia is among the world’s top five countries that have industries producing swiftlet bird’s nests. The four other countries are Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The constant high demand for EBN in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and North America has boosted the establishment of swiftlet house farming.
Swiftlet farming is a cultivation system of edible bird nests, achieved by preparing specially designed buildings for swiftlets to roost and nest. The practice of swiftlet farming originated from Indonesia, which is the largest producer of edible bird nests in the world. In the 1990s, frequent forest fires in Indonesia resulted in pollution and drove millions of swiftlets to Malaysia. This led to the rise of swiftlet farming in Malaysia.