Bird Mite

Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum / Dermanyssus gallinae

Order & Family: Order: Mesostigmata, Family: Macronyssidae / Dermanyssidae

Size: 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm; they are roughly the size of a pinhead.

Bird Mite

Natural Habitat

Bird nests, poultry houses, and occasionally indoor spaces like window sills or bedrooms when a host nest is nearby.

Diet & Feeding

Blood from birds (natural hosts) or mammals (accidental hosts).

Behavior Patterns

They are highly mobile, active during the day or night depending on the species, and tend to leave their host's nest once the chicks have fledged or the host has died to search for a new blood meal.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Can cause intense itching, skin irritation, and dermatitis in humans. They do not live or reproduce on humans but will bite accidentally. Benefits: None to humans; they are parasitic pests.

Identified on: 3/14/2026