A white hummingbird!

By Rudy Mancke

Published November 1, 2021 at 5:30 AM EDT

A leucistic hummingbird at University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum.

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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Rudy Mancke

Rudy Mancke served as naturalist and co-host of South Carolina ETV's <i>NatureScene</i>, which began its long run in 1978. His field trips, broadcast nationwide, earned him a legion of dedicated viewers. Rudy's knowledge of the complex inner-workings of different ecosystems and his great admiration for the natural world make him the perfect guide. In fact, the National Wildlife Federation and the Garden Club of America honored his commitment to resource conservation with special awards. After retiring from SCETV, Rudy went on to become naturalist-in-residence at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. He hosted SC Public Radio's <i>NatureNotes</i> from 1999 until his death in 2023 at age 78.

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