You finally removed that annoying starling nest from your bathroom vent. The chirping has stopped, and you think the problem is solved.

A week later, you wake up with tiny, red, intensely itchy bites. You feel like something is crawling on you, but you can barely see anything.

You likely have bird mites.

Bird mites are one of the most overlooked consequences of having birds nesting in or on your home. In Louisville, where starlings and sparrows frequently nest in vents and attics, bird mite infestations are a common secondary problem that many homeowners—and even some pest control companies—miss.

What Are Bird Mites?

Bird mites (Ornithonyssus bursa or Dermanyssus gallinae) are microscopic, semi-transparent parasites. They are less than 1mm long—about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

They live in bird nests and feed on the blood of the birds, particularly the nestlings. A single bird nest can contain tens of thousands of mites.

Why Are They Biting Me?

As long as the birds are in the nest, the mites stay put because they have a food source. The problem starts when:

1. The baby birds grow up and leave the nest (fledge).
2. The birds are trapped or removed by a human.
3. The birds die.

Once the birds are gone, the mites begin to starve. Driven by hunger and heat, they migrate away from the nest in search of a new host. They crawl through vents, cracks in the ceiling, and window frames, eventually ending up in bedrooms and living areas.

While bird mites cannot survive long-term on human blood (they need bird blood to reproduce), they will aggressively bite humans and pets while testing them as hosts.

Symptoms of Bird Mites

• Sensation: A feeling of crawling on the skin, especially at night.
• Bites: Tiny red bumps that are intensely itchy. They are often mistaken for bed bug bites or scabies.
• Visual: You may see tiny moving specks that look like “walking pepper” or dust.

How to Get Rid of Them

Treating bird mites is a two-step process. You cannot just spray the bedroom; you must remove the source.

Step 1: Remove the Source (The Nest)

You must locate and remove the bird nest. This is usually in a dryer vent, bathroom exhaust fan, attic, or window AC unit.

• Safety: Wear gloves and a mask. Bag the nest immediately in a sealed plastic bag.
• Clean: Vacuum the area thoroughly to remove nesting debris.

Step 2: Treat the Nesting Area

The area where the nest was located (the vent pipe, the attic joists) must be treated with a residual insecticide labeled for mites. This kills the mites before they can migrate into the home.

Step 3: Treat the Living Area

If mites have already entered the home, you may need to treat baseboards, window sills, and bed frames. Vacuuming and washing bedding in hot water helps reduce the population.

Prevention

The only way to prevent bird mites is to prevent bird nesting.

• Install bird-proof covers on all exterior vents.
• Seal gaps in soffits and eaves.
• Remove empty nests immediately after the breeding season ends.

If you are dealing with a mystery itch after a bird problem, don’t wait. Bird mites reproduce rapidly. Contact Critter Removal of Louisville for comprehensive bird removal and mite treatment.