Bird Mite (or Poultry Mite)
Scientific Name: Dermanyssus gallinae / Ornithonyssus sylviarum
Order & Family: Order: Mesostigmata; Family: Dermanyssidae or Macronyssidae
Size: 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm (visible to the naked eye as moving specks)
Natural Habitat
Nests of wild birds (pigeons, starlings, sparrows) or poultry houses; they may enter homes when birds leave the nest.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate blood feeders, primarily targeting birds, but will bite humans if their avian host is unavailable.
Behavior Patterns
They are semi-permanent parasites that feed at night and hide in cracks or crevices during the day. They have a very rapid life cycle, often maturing in 7 days.
Risks & Benefits
They cause intense itching and skin irritation (dermatitis) in humans. While they cannot survive long-term on human blood alone, they are a nuisance pest. They offer no known benefits to the ecosystem.
Identified on: 1/8/2026