Bird Mite (also known as Poultry Mite)
Scientific Name: Dermanyssus gallinae / Ornithonyssus sylviarum
Order & Family: Order: Mesostigmata, Family: Dermanyssidae or Macronyssidae
Size: 0.5 to 1.0 mm (barely visible to the naked eye, appearing as a mobile speck)
Natural Habitat
Commonly found in bird nests (pigeons, starlings, sparrows) or on poultry; they migrate into homes when host birds leave the nest.
Diet & Feeding
Blood of birds; they may bite humans if their avian hosts are unavailable, though they cannot survive or reproduce on human blood.
Behavior Patterns
They are semi-transparent but turn reddish-brown after feeding. Typically active at night, they are highly mobile and gravitate toward warmth and carbon dioxide.
Risks & Benefits
Can cause intensely itchy bites, skin irritation, and dermatitis in humans. They do not transmit diseases to humans but are significant pests to both domestic and wild birds.
Identified on: 12/31/2025