Large mites/flies? on Aussie King Parrots (1 Viewer)

[Frozzbird]

I have a flock of about 10 Aussie King Parrots that visit me every day and are so friendly that some of them land on my shoulders and even come inside and perch on my knee.
I have noticed that a large flat fly or mite is crawling amongst their feathers.These insects are at least 5 mm long.Do you know the name of these mites/flies/bugs and are they detrimental to the birds health.
The parrots seem healthy and aren't displaying any adverse continuous scratching or visible skin diseases.

 

[Enji]

I have no idea what insects you get down there, but it sounds a lot like the louse flies that we can find on birds here... I got to know them way to well this summer while ringing birds, and I do not like them. Nasty little things.

 

[Frozzbird]

I have no idea what insects you get down there, but it sounds a lot like the louse flies that we can find on birds here... I got to know them way to well this summer while ringing birds, and I do not like them. Nasty little things.

G'day Enji.Thanks heaps for your reply.
I have just researched the insects by using your description of them as louse flies.
It put me in the direction of a nasty critter called a hippoboscid fly.
And bingo, this is the monster that I have seen on the parrot

http://www.google.com.au/search?sou...-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enAU394AU395&q=hippoboscid+fly.

 

[Kiama]

I have a flock of about 10 Aussie King Parrots that visit me every day and are so friendly that some of them land on my shoulders and even come inside and perch on my knee.
I have noticed that a large flat fly or mite is crawling amongst their feathers.These insects are at least 5 mm long.Do you know the name of these mites/flies/bugs and are they detrimental to the birds health.
The parrots seem healthy and aren't displaying any adverse continuous scratching or visible skin diseases.