How can you tell if a bird has mites?

How can you tell if a bird (pet) has mites? They look normal in appearance, at least to my eye, have the same behavior and droppings. The reason I ask this is that my dog has some ticks or lice or something, and my brother thinks it started all because of my birds! I tell him they're more visable than they are in a dog, but still doesn't believe me. So, how can you tell?

You would see little black specks on it's feathers. The birds prob don't have mites if they are domestic, in the house, birds. Tell your brother to go give his dirty dog a bath before it gives your bird fleas.