[1] They are particularly prized in Chinese cuisine due to the rarity, high protein content and rich flavor, and are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans,[2] with prices up to about $4,300 per pound ($9,500/kg) depending on grading.

It is usually white in colour, but there also exists a red version that is sometimes called 'blood nest' (Chinese: 血燕; pinyin: Xuě Yàn).

According to the Qing dynasty manual of gastronomy, the Suiyuan shidan, bird's nest was regarded as a delicate ingredient not to be flavored or cooked with anything overpowering or oily.

With the escalation in demand these sources have been supplanted since the late-1990s by purpose-built nesting houses, usually reinforced concrete structures following the design of the Southeast Asian shop-house (rumah toko/ruko).

[9] In some places, nest gatherers (known in the Philippines as busyadors)[10][11] have seen a steep decline in the number of birds and a rise in unexplained fatalities.

Contrary to popular beliefs, red bird's nest does not contain hemoglobin, the protein responsible for the colour of human blood.

[2][9] The high returns and growing demand have attracted counterfeiters, leading to the halt of Malaysian nest exports to China.

The Malaysian government has since employed RFID technology to thwart counterfeiting by micro-chipping nests with details about harvesting, packaging, and transport.

Numerous sophisticated techniques have been used for the detection of adulterants in edible bird's nest such as energy disperse X-ray microanalysis, electronic microscopy and spectroscopy.

[23] Some other methods including DNA-based polymerase chain reactions, protein-based two-dimension gel electrophoresis and genetic identification based on mitochondrial DNA have found applications in the authentication of edible bird's nest.

Previous studies used gel electrophoresis in combination with liquid chromatographic methods to identify some common adulterants in edible bird's nest.

[7] Because a bird's nest is an animal product, it is subject to strict import restrictions in some countries, particularly with regard to H5N1 avian flu.