Rare White Hummingbirds Have Been Spotted Nearby

Spring hummingbird migration is already underway across the South and the Midwest. But in recent years, birdwatchers in our region have reported something even more unusual.

White hummingbirds.

While rare, albino, leucistic, and pied hummingbirds have been reported in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, and even right here in Indiana.

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Can Hummingbirds Really Be White

Although uncommon in nature, there are indeed white hummingbirds. They fall into three categories: albino, leucistic, and pied.

Melanin plays a major role in feather color, eye color, and even feather strength. Less melanin results in lighter coloration. A complete absence of melanin results in albinism.

Read More: How To Report Your Hummingbird Sightings This Spring

What Is An Albino Hummingbird

A true albino hummingbird has completely white feathers along with pink eyes, bill, and feet. This occurs because the bird lacks all melanin due to a genetic mutation.

While albino hummingbirds are extremely rare, you can see one flit around a feeder, as shared on YouTube by user rhodagerig. It looks like something out of a storybook.

What Is A Leucistic Hummingbird

Leucistic hummingbirds can still produce some melanin. They typically have dark eyes, bills, and feet, but their feathers may appear pure white, off-white, tan, gray, or partially white instead of the normal green or ruby coloring.

These are rare, but not as rare as true albinos.

What Is A Pied Hummingbird

The term pied or piebald refers to birds with bold contrasting patches, often black and white.

Pied hummingbirds have partial white feathers mixed with their normal green or brown coloration. Because they retain some normal coloring, they are considered pied rather than leucistic.

Read More: Helpful Hummingbird Feeder Tips

Have They Really Been Seen In Our Region

According to Hummingbird Central, sightings in 2025 included reports from:

• Isom, Kentucky
• Glasgow, Kentucky
• McMinnville, Tennessee
• Corryton, Tennessee
• Milton, Tennessee
• Lafayette, Tennessee
• Morris, Illinois
• Evansville, Indiana.

Yes. Evansville!

As hummingbird migration continues this spring, keep an eye on your feeders. You may not just see the familiar flash of green and ruby.

You might see something white. To learn more and see photos of albino, leucistic, and pied hummingbirds, visit Hummingbird Central.