Bird Mite
Scientific Name: Dermanyssus gallinae or Ornithonyssus sylviarum
Order & Family: Order Mesostigmata; Family Dermanyssidae or Macronyssidae
Size: 0.5mm to 1.0mm (barely visible to the naked eye, appearing as moving specks)
Natural Habitat
Typically found in bird nests (sparrows, pigeons, starlings), chicken coops, and occasionally indoors near nest sites in eaves or vents.
Diet & Feeding
Blood of host birds; they will bite humans if their primary bird host is unavailable, though they cannot survive or reproduce on human blood.
Behavior Patterns
They are highly mobile, active primarily at night, and seek out warmth and carbon dioxide to find a host. They often enter homes in large numbers once birds leave a nearby nest.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include intense itching, skin irritation, and dermatitis in humans from bites. They do not transmit diseases to humans but are significant pests in the poultry industry.
Identified on: 1/11/2026