White and Albino Hummingbirds
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Although somewhat rare in nature, there are indeed white hummingbirds! There are three types, a true Albino, and a Leucistic hummingbird ... and a mixture, or Pied.
Here at HummingbirdCentral, we have received numerous reports of white hummingbirds seen in 2018 and 2019. Most were documented with photos or videos. These reports were from the following locations:
- Sardis, Mississippi (October, 2019)
- Bonduel, Michigan (October, 2019)
- Cut and Shoot, Texas (October, 2019)
- Trinity, Texas (September, 2019)
- Sisterdale, Texas (September, 2019)
- Simms, Texas (September, 2019)
- Clinton, Louisiana (September, 2019)
- Indianapolis, Indiana (September, 2019)
- Boaz, Missouri (September, 2019)
- San Angelo, Texas (September, 2019)
- Brownsville, Kentucky (September, 2019)
- Grasonville, Maryland (September, 2019)
- Mount Juliet, Tennessee (August, 2019)
- Hanna, Indiana (August, 2019)
- Eldersburg, Maryland (August, 2019)
- Winona, Texas (August, 2019)
- Galatia, Illinois (August, 2019)
- Canterbury, Connecticut (August, 2019)
- Muskogee, Oklahoma (August, 2019)
- Grand Junction, Colorado (August, 2019)
- Arp, Texas (August, 2019)
- Beltrami County, Minnesota (August, 2019)
- Valley Falls, New York (August, 2019)
- Haleyville, New Jersey (August, 2019)
- Hoschton, Georgia (August, 2019)
- Carroll County, Maryland (July, 2019)
- Northeast Kentucky (June, 2019)
- Prescott, Arizona (May, 2019)
- Jamesport, Missouri (September, 2018)
- El Dorado, Arkansas (August, 2018)
- Lawson, Missouri (August, 2018)
- Presque Isle, Wisconsin (July, 2018)
- Daingerfield, Texas (July, 2018)
- Bowling Green, Kentucky (June, 2018)
- Greenup, Kentucky (June, 2018)
Albino Hummingbirds
An albino hummingbird features white feathers along with pink eyes, bill and feet. These hummingbirds are very rare, and are the result of a genetic mutation that stops the creation of any dark pigment.
Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Carrol County, Maryland, July, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Tegges) |
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Leucistic Hummingbirds
Leucistic hummingbirds have black eyes, bills and feet, and their feathers may be pure white, whitish, off-white, partially-white, tan, or gray instead of the normal colors for that species.
These are somewhat rare, but not as rare as the true albino hummingbird.
Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in Haleyville, NJ, August 10-13, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Rhubart) |
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Pied Hummingbirds
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Kentucky, June, 2019 |
The term "pied" is applied to bird plumage that has contrasting patches of bold color, usually black and white with clear edges.
Pied Hummingbirds have partial white and partial normal coloration. Because it has some normal green feathers, this hummingbird is referred to as being "pied" rather than leucistic.
These are rare birds, but a bird watcher in Kentucky was fortunate to see one during two days in early June of 2019 (see photo to the right).
The hummingbird appeared for at least two days and the bird watcher was alert to get a quick photo through the window pane.
Three views of a Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Galatia, Illinois, August 20, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Dudley) |
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More Photos of White Hummingbirds
Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Sardis, Mississippi, October 18, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of Randy and Bev Fullerton) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Simms, Texas, September 24-25, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Covarrubias) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Sisterdale, Texas, September 25, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of R. Miklaw) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Clinton, Louisiana, September, 2019 (Photos by and courtesy of D. DeMoss, taken with a Canon T3i and a Sigma DG 150 to 500mm zoom lens) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Indianapolis, Indiana, September 15, 2019 Its eyes appear dark in photos, but in person they look redder (Photo by and courtesy of S. Jennermann) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Grasonville, Maryland, September 8, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Brown) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Winona, Texas, August 21, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of G. Graham) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Muskogee, Oklahoma, August 18, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Jomes) |
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Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in Beltrami County, MN, August 15, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Mathweg) |
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Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in Canterbury, CT, August 17, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Tharel) |
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Leucistic Hummingbird sighted near Grand Junction, Colorado, August, 2019 |
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Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in Hoschton, Georgia, August, 2019 |
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Another view of the Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in Hoschton, GA, August, 2019 |
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A Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird at a feeder in Southern Arkansas, August, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Edmonds) |
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Two views of a Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Galatia, Illinois, August 21, 2013 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Dudley) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Arp, Texas, August 13, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of Brad R.) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Missouri, September 14, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Simons) |
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A white Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding in Missouri, September 14, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Simons) |
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White Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Missouri, September 14, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Simons) |
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Another white Ruby-throated Hummingbird sighted in Lawson, Missouri, August, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Burk) |
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