Main content
This programme will be available shortly after broadcast

The naturalist on the battle of filming the birds of Borneo, whose nests made of saliva are prized by Chinese chefs. From 2009.

Filming birds that make their nests from saliva proved a challenge in the total darkness of a Borneo cave....

.....until a conical mound of bat guano provided a natural platform.

Series of talks by Sir David Attenborough on the natural histories of creatures and plants from around the world.

Producer: Julian Hector

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2009.

10 minutes

On radio

Next Sunday 06:45
BBC Radio 4 Extra

More episodes

Previous

TracksSeries 1

Next

Adam's FaceSeries 1

See all episodes from David Attenborough's Life Stories

Broadcasts

  • Fri 18 Sep 2009 20:50
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sun 20 Sep 2009 08:50
    BBC Radio 4
  • Tue 12 Jan 2010 14:00
    BBC Radio 7
  • Wed 13 Jan 2010 04:00
    BBC Radio 7
  • Sun 29 Nov 2015 11:50
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 29 Nov 2015 19:50
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 10 Aug 2017 14:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 11 Aug 2017 02:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 7 Sep 2019 08:50
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 7 Sep 2019 15:50
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 8 Sep 2019 03:50
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 14 Feb 2021 10:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 14 Feb 2021 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 18 Feb 2021 11:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 18 Feb 2021 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 17 Jul 2022 10:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 17 Jul 2022 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 21 Jul 2022 11:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 21 Jul 2022 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 24 Sep 2023 10:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 24 Sep 2023 15:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 24 Sep 2023 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Mon 25 Sep 2023 04:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 25 Aug 2024 06:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 25 Aug 2024 11:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 25 Aug 2024 17:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Mon 26 Aug 2024 01:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 29 Jun 2025 06:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 29 Jun 2025 11:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 29 Jun 2025 17:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Mon 30 Jun 2025 01:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Next Sunday 06:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Next Sunday 11:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Next Sunday 17:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Next Monday 01:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra