Bird Nest Mite (also likely Northern Fowl Mite or Chicken Mite)
Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum / Dermanyssus gallinae
Order & Family: Mesostigmata; Macronyssidae / Dermanyssidae
Size: 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm (very tiny, appearing as moving specks)
Natural Habitat
Found in bird nests, poultry houses, and occasionally in homes near bird nesting sites on windowsills or vents.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous; they feed on the blood of birds and occasionally humans or other mammals if their primary host is unavailable.
Behavior Patterns
Nymphs and adults are active crawlers. They can move quickly when seeking a host and typically infest homes after a bird brood has left a nearby nest.
Risks & Benefits
They do not transmit diseases to humans but can cause intense itching, dermatitis, and red bumps (gamasidosis). They are pests to the poultry industry but have no ecological benefits in human structures.
Identified on: 3/12/2026