White and Albino HummingbirdsAlthough 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.
Albino HummingbirdsAn 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.
 |
Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Carrol County, Maryland, July, 2019
(Photo by and courtesy of M. Tegges)
|
Leucistic HummingbirdsLeucistic 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.
 |
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, HummingbirdsThe 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.
 |
Pied Black-chinned Hummingbird sighted in Meers, Oklahoma, April, 2021
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Jones)
|
Recent Sightings of White Hummingbird SightingsHere at HummingbirdCentral, we have received over 200 reports of white hummingbird sightings from 2018 to 2025. Shown below are some recent sightings in 2025 ... included at the bottom of this page is our White Hummingbird Sighting Database dating back to 2018.
2025 | - July, 2025
- Sandy, OR
- Showboro, NC
- Acworth, GA
- West Linn, OR
- Oak Harbor, WA
- August, 2025
- Isom, KY
- Glasgow, KY
- McMinnville, TN
|
More Photos of White Hummingbirds
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
McMinnville, Tennessee, August 8, 2025
(Photo by and courtesy of D. Stout)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Glasgow, Kentucky, August 3, 2025
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Barrick) |
 |  | Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Isom, Kentucky, August 1, 2025
(Photos by and courtesy of Angela S) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Acworth, Georgia, July 20, 2025
|
 Pied Anna's Hummingbird
West Linn, Oregon, July 20, 2025
|
 Leucistic Anna's Hummingbird & Paper Wasp
Oak Harbor, Washington, July 20, 2025
(Photo by and courtesy of G. Hatfield)
|
A wonderful by-product of gardening for hummingbirds: Butterflies! Visit our other website about butterflies ... 
|
|
 Albino Hummingbird, probably Rufous
Sandy, Oregon, July 8, 2025
(Photo by and courtesy of L. Anthony)
|
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Shawboro, North Carolina, July 15, 2025
(Photo by and courtesy of D. Mason)
|
 |  | Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Gainesville, Texas, September 7-8, 2024
Photos by and courtesy of D. Huffman |
 |  | 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. |
Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Marshall, Arkansas, August 23-24, 2024
Photos by and courtesy of N. Carlson |
 White Black-chinned Hummingbird
Pena Blanca, New Mexico, June 23, 2024
Photo by and courtesy of E. Severance
|  White Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Simsboro, Louisiana, May 31, 2024
Photo by and courtesy of G. Ruffino |  Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Charleston, Illinois, June 1, 2024
Photo by and courtesy of J. Thomason |
Nature is everywhere, like in Rocky Mountain National Park! Visit the park at our other website ... 
|
|
 Leucistic Hummingbird
Port Moody, British Columbia, September 12-27, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of M. Owen-Evans)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Franklin, Louisiana, October 4-5, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of L. DeSoto ) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Stockholm, New Jersey, September 17-19, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Winters)
|  White Hummingbird
Queen, New Mexico, September 17-20, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of B. O'Brien) |
 White Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ladoga, Wisconsin, August 27, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of M. Strook)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Prairieville, Louisiana, September 11-13, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of L. Wood) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Highland Village, Texas, September 2, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of B. Alvarez)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Bells, Tennessee, September 11, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of H. Haynes) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Clifton Park, New York, September 8, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Prichett)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Marion, Kentucky, September 9, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of W. Wilson) |
 Albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Paw Paw, Michigan, August 9, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of T. Thiede)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Millington, Tennessee, August 2, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of D. Asbridge) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Henry, Virginia, August 7, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of M. Broadstreet)
|  Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Harbinger, North Carolina, July 31, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of L. Harris) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Stony Creek, VA, July 22, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of C. Lewis)
|  Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Irmo, South Carolina, August 31 - September 7, 2022
(Photo by and courtesy of S. Lewis) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Piggott, Arkansas, July 19, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of A. Fowler)
|  White Hummingbird
Aliso Viejo, California, March 29, 2023
(Photo by and courtesy of C. Beck) |
 Albino Hummingbird
Ringgold, GA, August 21, 2022
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Forshee) |  Albino Hummingbird
Millstadt, IL, August 1, 2022
(Photo by and courtesy of P. Keck) |
 Pied Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Kilgore, TX, September 16-20, 2022
(Photo by and courtesy of T. Zurn) |  Leucistic Hummingbird
Bastrop, LA, September, 2022
(Photo by and courtesy of R. Stephenson) |
 Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
St. Amant, Louisiana, September 2, 2022
(Photo by and courtesy of A. Bourque)
|
Nature is everywhere, like in Yellowstone National Park! Visit the park at our other website ... 
|
|
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) |
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) |
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) |
|  |
White Hummingbird
Florissant, Colorado, July, 2021 (Photos by and courtesy of A. Bullis)
|
 |
Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Red River County, Texas - September, 2020
(Photos by and courtesy of M. Storey)
|
Leucistic Hummingbird
Port Ludlow, Washington, August, 2020
(Photo by and courtesy of L. Larabee and M. Lum)
| 
White Hummingbird
Crested Butte, Colorado, August, 2020
(Photo by and courtesy of K. Giesselman)
|
White Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Missouri, September 14, 2018
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Simons)
| 
White Hummingbird
Liberty Hill, Texas, late June of 2020
(Photo by and courtesy of C. Mullenix)
|
Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Haleyville, NJ, August 10-13, 2019
(Photo by and courtesy of J. Rhubart)
| 
White Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Muskogee, Oklahoma, August 18, 2019
(Photo by and courtesy of D. Jomes)
|
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) |
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) |
|
