Bird Lice

Natural Habitat

The bodies of living birds, particularly poultry or wild birds; often found in crevices between feathers.

Diet & Feeding

Bird lice predominantly eat feathers, skin scales, and occasionally dried blood or secretions from the host bird.

Behavior Patterns

They are permanent ectoparasites, meaning they spend their entire life cycle on the host. They are active crawlers and spread via direct physical contact between birds.

Risks & Benefits

They cannot survive long or reproduce on humans, but may cause temporary skin irritation or 'crawling' sensations. For birds, they cause stress, feather loss, and decreased egg production.

Identified on: 3/11/2026