Rare White Hummingbirds Dazzle Bird-watchers : What distinguishes the plumage of a white hummingbird? Find out what causes white hummingbird feathers and whether albino hummingbirds are uncommon.
Rare White Hummingbirds Dazzle Bird-watchers
Why Does a White Hummingbird Have White Feathers?
Any colour of hummingbird is a sight to behold. Gleaming like gemstones in the golden sunlight, they dart through flowers and captivate birdwatchers with their boundless enthusiasm. But seeing a white hummingbird is an experience of a lifetime.
Although white hummingbirds are not a separate species, they can be either albino, or entirely white with red or pink eyes, or leucistic, or partially or patchily white with some colour in their feathers. The bird’s unique colouring is the result of a complex interaction of elements.
In layman’s words, Dr. Kevin McGowan of Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Academy explains the fundamentals of biology: “I like to compare it to starting a car,” he explains in an analogy. “You try to start your automobile after getting inside, but it doesn’t start. Why? Although there are a plethora of potential explanations for this, the car eventually stops working.
He notes that scientists do know that the snowy feathers of a white hummingbird are probably a result of food, development, or heredity. But in the end, scientists frequently run out of ideas. “It can be difficult to determine the exact reason behind a white hummingbird’s appearance,” Kevin remarks. “We are aware that it has to do with how pigments grow and deposit throughout the body.”
ALSO SEE
The Impact of White Hummingbird Feathers
A white hummingbird may astonish birdwatchers, but what about other hummingbirds? Not in that way.
According to Kevin, females with lighter-colored feathers may be more vulnerable to predators or to predators that prey on their nests. For men, it may be difficult to locate a mate if they lack a dazzling gorget.
He says, “For hummingbirds, the male display is everything.” “You had better be a good dancer if you don’t have the lights, the costumes, or the flashy colours.”
The source of the colouring initially determines whether or not a hummingbird passes on its all-white colouring to its progeny. Kevin states that failure to produce melanin due to a genetic abnormality can be inherited. “Since developmental approaches are not genetic, the answer can vary depending on the nature of the issue.”
Beyond just making it harder for the birds to locate mates and stay alive, having white feathers may have other negative effects. Kevin points out that melanin, which white hummingbirds lack, is necessary for the structure and support of feathers. Their feathers may therefore be more worn than those of hummingbirds with typical colours.
How Rare Are Albino Hummingbirds?
A reader of Birds & Blooms from Muskogee, Oklahoma, named David Jones sent in this picture (above) of an albino hummingbird that stopped by his feeder. “How rare are birds like this?” he inquired.
Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman, birding experts, respond, “There are a few reports of partially or entirely white hummingbirds every year. These birds are referred to as leucistic because they lack the majority of melanin and other pigments in their feathers. However, the bird in your picture seems to have all the features of a genuine albino hummingbird, including pink feet and beak, all-white feathers, and even pink eyes. True albino hummingbirds like these are incredibly uncommon. This remarkable and stunning white hummingbird stopping by your feeders is such a pleasure.
