Bird Louse / Chewing Louse
Scientific Name: Mallophaga (suborder)
Order & Family: Order: Psocodea; Families include Philopteridae or Menoponidae
Size: 0.5 mm to 10 mm (typically around 1-3 mm)
Natural Habitat
Found on the feathers or skin of birds, or sometimes temporarily on clothing/surfaces after contact with birds or bird nests.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds on feathers, skin fragments, dermal debris, and sometimes blood if the skin is broken.
Behavior Patterns
They are permanent ectoparasites that spend their entire life cycle on a host; they move by crawling and cannot fly or jump. They use specialized mandibles to chew on organic matter.
Risks & Benefits
They do not transmit diseases to humans and cannot survive long off a host. They cause irritation, feather damage, and stress in birds which can impact poultry health.
Identified on: 1/6/2026