Air Sac Mites in Pigeons

Identification

• Air sac mites are extremely small, only 0.2 to 0.3 mm long, so you may not see the insects themselves but just notice the symptoms they cause in your birds. If you do see them, expect to notice small gray or white specks when the mites are away from the pigeon and small black specks if seen through the flesh of your pigeon, such as when you're shining a light on the bird's trachea. The mites have eight legs and move by crawling.

Complications

• An infestation of air sac mites can kill pigeons. It weakens birds and can reduce the function of the respiratory system, which can affect their performance -- particularly if you are raising homing pigeons for racing or competition. The mites can also cause poor growth in young birds, which can lead to respiratory problems, including pneumonia, as well as other infections and illnesses that affect the birds' immune system and further inhibit normal growth.

Transmission

• Pigeons can catch air sac mites from multiple sources in several different ways. Birds can pass the mites to one another through bird-to-bird transmission when mating, feeding their young or mingling with other birds. Mites can be found in pigeons' homes and environments and reach the birds through infected food, water and fecal matter. The mites can also pass among birds through infected airborne droplets, according to AvianWeb.

Symptoms

• Birds with an air sac mite infestation demonstrate a wide array of symptoms ranging from almost none at all to symptoms of an extreme nature. The intensity of the infestation in your birds can affect the number of symptoms as well as the degree to which the symptoms present themselves. Working pigeons may experience symptoms that worsen after activity or stress. Symptoms of infestation include respiratory issues, such as coughing, making a clicking sound when breathing and general difficulty in breathing. Birds may also have wet nostrils or demonstrate sneezing or head shaking behaviors. General symptoms include weakness, agitation, poor performance, tail bobbing and loss of the ability to vocalize.

Treatment

• Your veterinarian may take a tracheal swab for diagnosis or examine your pigeon's trachea under a light for the presence of mites. Because of the many ways the mites can be acquired, it is important that you treat all birds, bird areas and cages at once and over a period of three weeks. This kills both the existing adult mites right away and any eggs when they hatch later. Topical applications of Ivermectin are commonly recommended for treating birds. The Bird Cottage website warns that you must ensure the medication formulation is specifically for birds, as similar products for other animals may deliver a dose of medicine that's too high. The Merck Veterinary Manual also suggests Ivermectin for topical treatment of pigeons, as well as a pyrethrin/piperonyl butoxide spray or a dichlorvos pest strip for treating the birds' surroundings, but warns owners to keep the pest strips out of the reach of their birds.