Bird Mite
Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum
Order & Family: Order Mesostigmata, Family Macronyssidae
Size: 0.5 mm to 1 mm (barely visible to the naked eye)
Natural Habitat
Found in or near bird nests on buildings; they enter homes through vents or windows when birds leave the nest.
Diet & Feeding
Blood of birds and occasionally other mammals, including humans.
Behavior Patterns
They are highly mobile and nocturnal, searching for a host when their primary avian host is unavailable. They have a rapid life cycle of 5-12 days.
Risks & Benefits
They can cause intense itching and skin irritation (dermatitis) in humans, though they cannot survive or reproduce on human blood alone. They offer no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 4/15/2026