Bird Mite (or Tropical Rat Mite)
Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum / Ornithonyssus bacoti
Order & Family: Mesostigmata / Macronyssidae
Size: 0.5 to 1.0 mm (barely visible to the naked eye; appearance of moving dust)
Natural Habitat
Commonly found in bird nests, poultry houses, or rodent burrows; they often enter human dwellings when their hosts leave.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate blood-feeders that primarily feed on the blood of birds or rodents.
Behavior Patterns
They are highly mobile and search for new hosts if their primary host dies or leaves the nest. They are most active at night.
Risks & Benefits
They bite humans causing intense itching and reddish welts. They cannot survive long-term or reproduce on human blood alone, but can cause significant dermatitis and secondary infections.
Identified on: 1/13/2026