Bird Mite
Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum or Dermanyssus gallinae
Order & Family: Order: Mesostigmata; Family: Macronyssidae or Dermanyssidae
Size: 0.5mm to 1.0mm (barely visible to the naked eye, appearing as moving specks)
Natural Habitat
Found near bird nests, poultry farms, and inside homes if a host (like a sparrow or pigeon) nests on the building structure.
Diet & Feeding
Blood of avian hosts (birds); they will bite humans if their primary bird host is absent, though they cannot survive long on human blood alone.
Behavior Patterns
They are highly mobile, active during the day or night depending on species, and proliferate rapidly near nesting sites. They follow carbon dioxide and heat cues to find hosts.
Risks & Benefits
In humans, they cause intense itching, red welts, and skin irritation (gamasoidosis). They do not transmit diseases to humans but cause significant stress and discomfort. In the ecosystem, they are parasites of wild birds.
Identified on: 3/12/2026