How rare is it to see a white hummingbird?

Hummingbirds are known for their bright, iridescent colors that glimmer in the sunlight. However, every so often a white hummingbird is spotted in nature, captivating bird watchers with its unusual pale plumage. So just how rare is it to see one of these striking white hummingbirds?

What causes white hummingbirds?

There are a few different factors that can cause a hummingbird to appear mostly white or albino:

• Leucism – This genetic condition causes a partial loss of pigmentation in birds. Leucistic hummingbirds will have pale or white feathers scattered throughout their body.
• Albinism – Albino birds have a total lack of melanin pigment. True albino hummingbirds are extremely rare, but will be completely white with pink eyes, feet and bill.
• Age – Young fledgling hummingbirds often appear white because their colorful adult feathers have not fully grown in yet.

Of these conditions, leucism is the most common cause of white or partially white hummingbirds. Albino hummingbirds are very rare, and juvenile birds will start taking on color after a few weeks.

How rare are white hummingbirds?

White hummingbirds make up a tiny fraction of the overall hummingbird population. In North America, only about 1 in every 1,000 hummingbirds is leucistic. When you factor in that there are around 340 million hummingbirds across North America, that means only about 340,000 white hummingbirds.

True albino hummingbirds are even rarer, with only a few authenticated cases on record. For example, in 2006 an albino Anna’s hummingbird was documented in Rio Dell, California. Its lack of pigment made it stand out vividly among the other hummingbirds.

While leucistic hummingbirds occur more frequently than albinos, they are still seldom seen. Bird watchers can go years without spotting a white hummingbird in the wild. This helps explain the excitement and interest when a white hummingbird is captured on camera or observed at a feeder.

Leucistic hummingbird frequency by species

Some hummingbird species show higher rates of leucism than others. Here are the species with the most reported cases of leucistic plumage:

As shown above, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds display leucism more frequently than other species. Anna’s Hummingbirds have the next highest rate, followed by Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds.

Where can white hummingbirds be found?

White hummingbirds have been documented across much of North America. Some of the most commonly reported sightings have occurred in these states and provinces:

• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Ontario
• Louisiana
• Alabama

This distribution aligns closely with overall hummingbird populations in North America and the species most likely to exhibit leucism. For example, Anna’s Hummingbirds are very common along the Pacific Coast, so California sees higher rates of leucistic Anna’s Hummingbirds.

Notable white hummingbird sightings

Here are some of the most fascinating and well-documented sightings of white hummingbirds over the years:

• In 2012, a male leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird nicknamed Henry took up residence in a yard in Nova Scotia, amazing local birders.
• An all-white Black-chinned Hummingbird was spotted multiple times at a Tucson, Arizona backyard feeder in 2020.
• A pure white juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird visited a feeder in Louisiana for two weeks in 2016 before its adult red throat and green-black colors came in.
• In 2008, an albino Anna’s Hummingbird appeared in a California backyard completely lacking pigment with a bright pink bill and feet.

These remarkable sightings highlight just how special it is to observe a white hummingbird in the wild. Birders often go years without seeing one, even if they watch hummingbirds daily.

Why are white hummingbirds so rare?

There are a few key reasons why white hummingbirds are uncommon compared to normally-colored birds:

• Lack of camouflage – Bright white feathers stand out against most natural backgrounds, making leucistic and albino hummingbirds more visible to predators.
• Genetic rarity – The genetic mutations that cause leucism or albinism occur infrequently in hummingbird populations.
• Short lifespan – Hummingbirds only live 3-5 years on average, limiting the chances of spotting a white individual.
• Small population size – There are only around 340 million total hummingbirds in North America, compared to billions of other bird species.

While unusual white hummingbirds occasionally appear, they tend to be selected against in nature because their bright plumage puts them at a disadvantage. Over time, pigmentation mutations that cause leucism and albinism remain rare in the gene pool.

Are white hummingbird sightings increasing?

With the growing popularity of backyard bird feeding and rise of social media and nature apps like eBird, white hummingbird sightings are being reported and shared more frequently than ever before.

However, there is no evidence that leucism rates are actually increasing in hummingbird populations. Rather, the ability to quickly disseminate unusual bird sightings online gives the impression that more white hummingbirds are being found.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which manages the eBird database, receives approximately one documented sighting per year of a leucistic hummingbird somewhere in the U.S. or Canada. This rate has remained steady for over a decade, suggesting no upward trend in genetic mutations causing white plumage.

So while it may seem like white hummingbirds are suddenly popping up everywhere, in reality they remain just as rare as ever. There are simply more birdwatchers armed with smartphones and social media to spotlight them when they do appear.

Table: Reported sightings of leucistic hummingbirds per year

The data above shows no clear increase in white hummingbird sightings per year. The average remains close to 1 reported sighting per year according to records from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Summary: Key facts about white hummingbirds

Here are the key points to understand the rarity of white hummingbirds:

• Leucistic hummingbirds with partial loss of pigment are more common than true albino hummingbirds.
• Only 1 in every 1,000 hummingbirds is leucistic; albino hummingbirds are even rarer.
• Ruby-throated Hummingbirds display leucism at higher rates than other species.
• White hummingbirds have been documented across North America, especially along the west coast.
• Lack of camouflage and genetic rarity help explain their unusual appearance.
• Despite increased reporting, leucistic rates remain steady over the past decade.

Spotting any hummingbird is a magical experience. Catching sight of a rare white hummingbird is even more astonishing and memorable. Though they may be few and far between, these striking birds continue to capture public fascination whenever they appear.

Conclusions

White hummingbirds stand out as unusual avian wonders. While genetic conditions like leucism and albinism can produce partial or complete loss of pigmentation, they occur infrequently in wild bird populations. Among the 340 million hummingbirds in North America, only about 1 in every 1,000 will exhibit leucism. True albino hummingbirds are even more scarce.

Certain hummingbird species, such as Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, and Anna’s Hummingbirds, display higher rates of white plumage. But across all species, spotting a white hummingbird remains a rare treat for birders and casual observers alike. Though increased reporting gives the impression of more white hummingbird sightings in recent years, their incidence remains steady and low.

A white hummingbird draws fascination because we are accustomed to seeing these normally vibrantly colored birds. Their striking pallor provides a peek at hummingbirds we seldom encounter. So if you are lucky enough to have a white hummingbird visit your feeder or garden, be sure to savor the moment!