Environmental Characteristics

Bird Lice normally hide or burrow during the day and are more active at night, corresponding to their inherent behavior to parasitize nesting birds. Humans bothered by Bird Lice will notice significantly more activity at night than in the daytime. In the home, bedding material and furniture are an ideal breeding ground for Bird Lice that will bite during the night and hide and reproduce deep inside when not active. Bird Lice prefer cottons and fabrics as this can act like an insulating material where eggs can be protected from the environment.

A Bird Lice infestation in the home is often initially thought of as a flea infestation. People with pets will assume that if the parasite is this small it must be fleas. Bird Lice are even smaller and do not hop the way fleas can.

How do Bird Lice Work?

Bird Lice parasitize a wide variety of domestic and wild birds, including poultry, pigeons, starlings, sparrows and robins. These Lice normally remain on birds or in bird nests throughout their life. Lice eggs are laid in nests or on feathers. Hatching occurs in two to three days and adults are seen about five days later if birds are present.

However, if a bird falls out of a nest and dies or a nest is abandoned, bird Lice seek other hosts. These Bird Lice may enter homes, sometimes in large numbers to search for food when nests are on or in buildings. Although Bird Lice often bite people, circumstances have been described where they are found in large numbers but do not appear to annoy anyone.