Skin mites feed on blood, tissue fluid, keratin and surface skin debris.  Females of the skin mite genera Strelkoviacarus, Microlichus and Myialges use louseflies (Hippoboscidae) for transport from bird to bird, and Myialges females glue their eggs to the flies.  Chiggers (Trombiculidae) are tissue-fluid-feeding larval stages of predatory soil mites.  Dermanyssid and macronyssid mites feed on blood and may lay eggs in the nest or on the bird.  Androlaelaps is a predator of other invertebrates and their eggs in nests, but it may also suck blood.  Hypoderatid immature mites live under the skin, particularly in breast and thigh areas, and absorb nutrients through their surface.  The adults reproduce in the nest.

                                              FALCONIFORM SKIN MITES

Cheyletiellidae
Dermanyssidae: Dermanyssus
Epidermoptidae: Microlichus, Myialges
Harpirhynchidae: Harpyrhynchoides
Hypoderatidae: Gypsodectes, Neottialges, Tytodectes
Knemidocoptidae: Knemidocoptes
Laelapidae: Androlaelaps
Macronyssidae: Ornithonyssus
Trombiculidae: Blankaartia, Eutrombicula, Leptotrombidium, Neoschoengastia, Odontacarus, Toritrombicula

                                              STRIGIFORM SKIN MITES

Analgidae: Strelkoviacarus
Cheyletiellidae: Neocheyletiella
Dermanyssidae: Dermanyssus
Epidermoptidae: Microlichus, Myialges, Passeroptes
Harpirhynchidae: Harpyrhynchoides
Hypoderatidae: Hypodectes, Neottialges, Neotytodectes, Tytodectes
Knemidocoptidae: Knemidocoptes
Laelapidae: Androlaelaps
Macronyssidae: Ornithonyssus
Trombiculidae: Blankaartia, Euschoengastia, Eutrombicula, Hyponeocula, Leptotrombidium, Miyatrombicula, Neoschoengastia, Odontacarus, Ornithogastia, Toritrombicula

                                               SKIN MITE GALLERIES

FALCONIFORM AND STRIGIFORM SKIN MITES: BLOOD SUCKERS AND CHIGGERS

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1.  Dermanyssus americanus on upper secondary covert, sharp-shinned hawk
2.  Dermanyssus americanus
3.  Dermanyssus hirundinis, a species known from long-eared owl nests
4.  Ornithonyssus, showing extended scissorlike mouthparts
5.  Ornithonyssus sylviarum
6.  Androlaelaps, ex great horned owl nest
7.  Chiggers, Trombicula, unengorged and engorged after feeding on tissue fluid

            7

OTHER FALCONIFORM AND STRIGIFORM SKIN MITES

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1.  Microlichus female
2.  Myialges anchora female
3.  Myialges anchora eggs glued to stalks (to the skin of a lousefly (Hippoboscidae))
4.  Myialges larva developing inside an egg
5.  Harpyrhynchoides ex screech owl
6.  Harpyrhynchoides in the underwing skin of a boreal owl

FALCONIFORM AND STRIGIFORM SUBCUTANEOUS MITES

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1.  Hypoderatid mites in connective tissue between skin and muscle
2.  Tytodectes cerchneis immature, ex American kestrel nest
3.. Tytodectes cerchneis - note absence of mouthparts and extremely reduced legs

STRIGIFORM SKIN MITES

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1.  Strelkoviacarus critesi male
2.  Passeroptes female, ex boreal owl
3.  Passeroptes (center) on barred owl axillary skin
4.  Passeroptes on great grey owl down feather