"Bird's Nest - Glossary of Chinese Ingredients and Cooking Terms"
From Rhonda Parkinson, Your Guide to Chinese Cuisine.
Definition: Authentic bird's nest soup is made using the nests of the swiftlet, a tiny bird found throughout southeast Asia. Instead of twigs and straw, the swiftlet makes its nest from strands of gummy
saliva, which harden when exposed to air. Once the nests are harvested, they are cleaned and sold to restaurants, where they are served simmered in chicken broth.
Authentic bird's nest soup is quite popular throughout Asia, perhaps because it has the reputation of being an aphrodisiac. It is also quite costly; many western restaurants serve a less expensive version consisting of soup with noodles shaped to resemble a bird's nest.
References:
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/glossar ... dsnest.htm
and my own experience. Of course, doggy is a well-known delicacy. Also, they eat spider web's & jelly-fish (for you, perverts - you can try this & many other "yummy" things in Fortune House, Metrotown)