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White and Albino Hummingbirds
Although somewhat rare in nature, there are indeed white hummingbirds! There are three types, a true Albino, and a Leucistic hummingbird ... and a mixture, known as Pied (or Piebald).
Melanin is important for hummingbirds as it dictates skin tone, eye color, feather strength, and ultraviolet sun protection. Less melanin produces a lighter color, while more melanin produces a darker color.
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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. These hummingbirds lack melanin which equates to no color or pigmentation.
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Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Carrol County, Maryland, July, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Tegges) |
Leucistic Hummingbirds
Leucistic hummingbirds can produce some melanin, and have black eyes, bills and feet. 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.
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Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Laurens, South Caroliana - August, 2021 Has stayed for 16 days at the home of Robyn Prince (Photo by Elaine Smith Photography ) |
Pied, or Piebald, Hummingbirds
The term "pied" or "piebald" 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 or brown feathers, this hummingbird is referred to as being "pied" rather than leucistic.
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Pied Black-chinned Hummingbird sighted in Meers, Oklahoma, April, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Jones) |
The Database of White Hummingbird Sightings
Here at HummingbirdCentral, we have received nearly 200 reports of white hummingbird sightings from 2018 to 2024. These reports were from the following locations (each documented with photos or videos):
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More Photos of White Hummingbirds
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| Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird Morden, Manitoba, August, 29 2024 Photos by and courtesy of Steve Hiebert ... Canadian Photo Gallery and Steve Hiebert on Facebook |
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| Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird Gainesville, Texas, September 7-8, 2024 Photos by and courtesy of D. Huffman |
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| Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird Columbus, Mississippi, August 30, 2024 First sighted by Jan Hudson 8/30/24 at her residence, and reported to the Oktibbeha Audubon Society. Evelyn Carter was privileged to take photos (above) of this incredible bird. |
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 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Marshall, Arkansas, August 23-24, 2024 Photos by and courtesy of N. Carlson |
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 White Ruby-throated HummingbirdEllicott City, Maryland, September 1, 2024 Photo by and courtesy of L. Teodosio |
 Albino Ruby-throated HummingbirdHaverhill, Massachusetts, August 17, 2024 Photo by and courtesy of L. deVillafranca |
 White Black-chinned HummingbirdPena Blanca, New Mexico, June 23, 2024 Photo by and courtesy of E. Severance |
 White Ruby-throated HummingbirdSimsboro, Louisiana, May 31, 2024 Photo by and courtesy of G. Ruffino |
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 Pied Ruby-throated HummingbirdCharleston, Illinois, June 1, 2024 Photo by and courtesy of J. Thomason |
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 Leucistic HummingbirdPort Moody, British Columbia, September 12-27, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Owen-Evans) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdFranklin, Louisiana, October 4-5, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of L. DeSoto ) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdMableton, Georgia, October 4, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of N. Guttenberg) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdSt. Charles, Missouri, September 24-27, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Webb) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdBella Vista, Arkansas, October 2-16, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of Trish) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdDahlonega, Georgia, September 26, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Cummins) |
 White Ruby-throated HummingbirdViola, Illinois, September 20-23, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Cummings) |
 White Ruby-throated HummingbirdBarnesville, Ohio, September 24, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Yakubisin) |
 White Ruby-throated HummingbirdStockholm, New Jersey, September 17-19, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Winters) |
 White HummingbirdQueen, New Mexico, September 17-20, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of B. O'Brien) |
 White Ruby-throated HummingbirdLadoga, Wisconsin, August 27, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Strook) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdPrairieville, Louisiana, September 11-13, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Wood) |
 Pied Ruby-throated HummingbirdHighland Village, Texas, September 2, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Alvarez) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdBells, Tennessee, September 11, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of H. Haynes) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdClifton Park, New York, September 8, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Prichett) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdMarion, Kentucky, September 9, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of W. Wilson) |
 Pied Ruby-throated HummingbirdHowardsville, Virginia, August 20, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Rost) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdDacula, Georgia, August 26, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Smith) |
 Albino Ruby-throated HummingbirdPaw Paw, Michigan, August 9, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of T. Thiede) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdMillington, Tennessee, August 2, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Asbridge) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdHelonville, Indiana, August 14, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Turner) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdDecatur, Illinois, August 17, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Davison) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdHenry, Virginia, August 7, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Broadstreet) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdHarbinger, North Carolina, July 31, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Harris) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdStony Creek, VA, July 22, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Lewis) |
 Pied Ruby-throated HummingbirdIrmo, South Carolina, August 31 - September 7, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Lewis) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdPiggott, Arkansas, July 19, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of A. Fowler) |
 White HummingbirdAliso Viejo, California, March 29, 2023 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Beck) |
 Albino HummingbirdRinggold, GA, August 21, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Forshee) |
 Albino HummingbirdMillstadt, IL, August 1, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of P. Keck) |
 Pied Allen's or Rufous HummingbirdSan Diego, CA, September 25, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Siverts) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird in a fountainEl Cajon, CA, September 28, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Schindler) |
 Albino Ruby-throated HummingbirdCantrall, IL, September, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Rabbe) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdSanta Fe, TX, September 25, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of E. Nash) |
 Pied Ruby-throated HummingbirdKilgore, TX, September 16-20, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of T. Zurn) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdBastrop, LA, September, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of R. Stephenson) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdBessemer, AL, September 16, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Tropeano) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdKiln, MS, September 19-21, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Phillips) |
 Albino HummingbirdFort Calhoun, NE, September, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Dugan) |
 Pied HummingbirdDeWitt, MI, August, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Loop) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdShiloh, NC, September, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of W. Lassiter) |
Schererville, IN, September 15, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of P. Carroll) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdPensacola, FL, September 2, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Lance) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdDeWitt, Iowa, September 2, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Leiferman) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated HummingbirdSt. Amant, Louisiana, September 2, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of A. Bourque) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdConstantia, NY, August 8, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of Angie M) |
 White Hummingbird Frisco City, AL, August, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Crutchfield) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Oakdale, CA, July, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Thompson) |
 White Hummingbird Watsonville, CA, April ,2022 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Hoffman) |
 White Hummingbird Oakdale, CA, July, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of Natalie and Rose) |
 White Hummingbird Johnston, SC, August, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of N. Riley) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Rochester, MA, August 1, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Orlowski) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdPegram, TN, June, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of R. Adkins) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Orangevale, CA, April, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of P. Flores) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdSan Antonio, TX, June, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of M. and A Rogers) |
 Leucistic Anna's Hummingbird North Saanich, British Colfumbia, January, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of G. Eckberg) |
 Leucistic HummingbirdRocky Mount, VA, July, 2022 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Joyce) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Springfield, Missouri, September, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of P. Lindsay) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Brentwood, Tennessee, September 1-9, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Vanderkolk) |
 Leucistic Anna's Hummingbird Port Ludlow, WA, July 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Aron) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Callawassie Island, SC, August, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Eckhardt) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Katy, Texas, sighted for 7 days in Sept-October, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Purser) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Pearland, Texas, October 9, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Martin) |
 Pied Hummingbird Fort Worth, TX, September, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Parsley) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mt. Olive, MS, October, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Madden) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Earleville, Maryland, September 13, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of A. Baldwin) |
 Leucistic male Anna's Hummingbird - Nicknamed "Cotton Ball" - Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia - February 24, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of A. Miller) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird St. Francis, Minnesota, June, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Heifort) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird Ponchatoula, LA, September, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Migues) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Demopolis, Alabama, September 13, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Wingate) |
 Leucistic female Anna's Hummingbird Hemet, California, February 26, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Hoggatt) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Beaverton, Oregon, July 11, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Elings) |
 Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird North of Murray, Iowa, September 8, 2021 Confirmed by Iowa DNR as an Albino (Photo by and courtesy of R. Griffith) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Sautee Nacoochee, GA, September, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Roper) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Lawrenceburg, KY, September, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Brooks) |
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White Hummingbird
Florissant, Colorado, July, 2021 (Photos by and courtesy of A. Bullis) |
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Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Red River County, Texas - September, 2020 (Photos by and courtesy of M. Storey) |
![Leucistic hummingbird in Port Ludlow, Washington, August of 2020](images/white-hummingbirds/leucistic-annas-hummingbird-port-ludlow-wa-july-2021-02.jpg "\") Leucistic Hummingbird Port Ludlow, Washington, August, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Larabee and M. Lum) |
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 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Missouri, September 14, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Simons) |
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 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Simms, Texas, September 24-25, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Covarrubias) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Sisterdale, Texas, September 25, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of R. Miklaw) |
 White Hummingbird Leakey, Texas, seen for several days in late June, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of T. Ikner) |
 Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird Sardis, Mississippi, October 18, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of Randy and Bev Fullerton) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Poquoson, Virginia, August, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of C. Conrad) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Carrboro, North Carolina, late July and August, 2020 (Photos by and courtesy of A. Smith) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird St. Peters, Missouri, September 2, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Galla) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Hopewell Junction NY, September 7, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Eckelman) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carrollton, Mississippi, August, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of T. Johnston) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Silver Spring, Maryland, June to August, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of C. McKown) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Hopkinsville, Kentucky, August 25, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of V. Garnett ) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Pea Ridge, Arkansas, August 31, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of N. Wilkening) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Ashland City, Tennessee, August 25-26, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Re’nell Scott) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Woodruff, WIsconsin, August, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of T. Wolfe) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird She makes no noise when she flies, and alternates between flowers and several feeders, resting in nearby trees between feedings. Other hummies (both male and female Broad-tailed and Black-chinned) try to chase her off quite a bit, but she manages to feed. She seemed very wary of humans. Kittredge, Colorado, August 2, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Graven) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Clinton, Louisiana, September, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of D. DeMoss, taken with a Canon T3i and a Sigma DG 150 to 500mm zoom lens) |
 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) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Port Mouton, Nova Scotia - August, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of M. Sarty) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird Hernando, Mississippi, June, 2020 (Photo by and courtesy of P. Stuart) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Grasonville, Maryland, September 8, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Brown) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Winona, Texas, August 21, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of G. Graham) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird Galatia, Illinois, August 20, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Dudley) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird, probably an Anna's Seattle, WA - March to June of 2020, again in Feb 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Newell) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird Williamsburg, Virginia June, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of L. Kelly) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Southern Arkansas, August, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of S. Edmonds) |
 White Leucistic Hummingbird Creswell, Oregon, July, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of B. Gabrio) |
 Leucistic Hummingbird Spokane, Washington, Summer of 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Grieb |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Arp, Texas, August 13, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of Brad R.) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Shelby, North Carolina, July, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Hamrick) |
 Ruby-throated Leucistic Hummingbird Suffolk, Virginia, August, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Pieroni ) |
 Ruby-throated Leucistic Hummingbird Delta, Alabama, August 25-28, 2021 (Photo by and courtesy of D. Tucker) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird Missouri, September 14, 2018 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Simons) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Beltrami County, MN, August 15, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of J. Mathweg) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird Canterbury, CT, August 17, 2019 (Photo by and courtesy of K. Tharel) |
Albino and Other White Hummingbirds: The Video
Hummingbirds are colorful creatures! But from looking at the photos above, it is known that some are white, or whitish!
Although somewhat rare in nature, there are indeed white hummingbirds! There are three types, a true Albino, and a Leucistic hummingbird ... and a mixture, known as Pied (or Piebald).
This short video highlights some of the albino, leucistic and pied hummingbird sightings which have been submitted by Hummingbird Central website viewers.
It runs only about 4 minutes ... turn up your volume for some easy listening music and enjoy some incredible views of white hummingbirds!