Bird Mite

Found in bird nests (pigeons, starlings, sparrows) and poultry houses; often enters homes via windows or vents when birds leave the nest.

Hematophagous; they feed on the blood of birds but will bite humans and other mammals if their primary hosts are unavailable.

Phototactic (attracted to light); highly active and fast-crawling. They have a short life cycle (7-12 days) and can survive for several weeks without a host.

They cause intense itching, skin irritation, and dermatitis in humans but cannot survive or reproduce solely on human blood. They provide no ecosystem benefits in domestic settings and are considered household pests.