Bird Tick
Scientific name: Ixodes brunneus
Ixodes brunneus feeds primarily on passerines (songbirds), and while it has not been collected biting humans, this species is of veterinary importance. Infestations of bird ticks can cause avian tick paralysis and loss of sight (when biting near the eyes), resulting in the bird’s death if not removed. In New Jersey, bird ticks have been collected from a winter wren.
Hosts
The primary hosts are passerines. The order Passeriformes includes primarily perching songbirds such as sparrows, finches, warblers, thrushes, tanagers, orioles, jays, chickadees, wrens, and more! There are roughly 5,000 bird species classified as passerines.
Habitat
The bird tick is considered rare in New Jersey. Recent surveillance in Delaware, where the species was detected for the first time in 2022, indicates the species is restricted to the Atlantic coastal plains.
Locations in NJ
The first report of this tick in New Jersey was in Cumberland County, but bird ticks are thought to have a wide distribution across the U.S.
Active Months
Bird ticks were collected from the environment in Delaware during the winter months (January to early April).