Bird Mite
Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Northern fowl mite) or Dermanyssus gallinae (Red poultry mite)
Order & Family: Order Mesostigmata, Family Macronyssidae or Dermanyssidae
Size: 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm (roughly the size of a period at the end of a sentence)
Natural Habitat
Nests of wild birds (pigeons, starlings, sparrows) or poultry farms; they enter homes via windows or vents when bird hosts leave the nest.
Diet & Feeding
Blood of avian hosts (birds); they will bite humans and pets if avian hosts are unavailable, but cannot survive or reproduce on human blood.
Behavior Patterns
Active mainly at night, these mites are highly mobile and can crawl long distances in search of a host. They typically infest homes in late spring and summer when baby birds fledge and leave the nest.
Risks & Benefits
They do not transmit diseases to humans but cause intense itching, red bumps, and skin irritation. They are considered a nuisance pest in residential areas and a major economic pest in the poultry industry.
Identified on: 1/2/2026