When do pelicans leave Alabama?

Brown Pelicans never fully leave Alabama: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late April, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.7% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see pelicans in Alabama?

The Brown Pelican is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 17% of Alabama checklists.

Which pelicans are in Alabama?

Brown Pelican and American White Pelican are reported regularly; the Brown Pelican is the most common.

2 pelican species in Alabama

When Do Pelicans Arrive in Alabama?

Photo: Henrik Kibak, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans are the pelicans you are most likely to see in Alabama. Brown Pelicans are in Alabama all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late March, peak in the second week of April (17% of checklists), and fall back by late April. In the quietest week (the second week of July) they are still on about 6.7% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 22-31late March

PeakApr 8-14the second week of April

Fall back byApr 22-30late April

FewestJul 8-14the second week of July

Best: the second week of April. Here all year; numbers build from late March and fall back by late April. Peak: on about 17% of Alabama checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maycommon
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novcommon
Deccommon

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Pelicans in Alabama, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Brown Pelican	Mar 22-31	Mar 22-31	Apr 8-14	Apr 22-30	17%
American White Pelican	Sep 22-30	Oct 15-21	Nov 22-30	Mar 8-14	6.9%

Brown Pelican
American White Pelican

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Alabama that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Alabama

Best counties for Brown Pelican

Share of checklists at the peak

Mobile CountyBest late August · 434 checklists that week, 34,270 in all53%
Baldwin CountyBest late April · 1833 checklists that week, 54,971 in all39%
Lawrence CountyBest mid December · 13 checklists that week, 1,969 in all25%
Henry CountyBest mid September · 16 checklists that week, 338 in all4.3%
Barbour CountyBest the second week of March · 46 checklists that week, 2,947 in all1.8%
Colbert CountyBest late October · 68 checklists that week, 4,794 in all1.3%

Common questions

When do pelicans arrive in Alabama?: Brown Pelicans are in Alabama all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late March, peak in the second week of April (17% of checklists), and fall back by late April. In the quietest week (the second week of July) they are still on about 6.7% of checklists.
When do pelicans leave Alabama?: Brown Pelicans never fully leave Alabama: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late April, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.7% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see pelicans in Alabama?: The Brown Pelican is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 17% of Alabama checklists.
Which pelicans are in Alabama?: Brown Pelican and American White Pelican are reported regularly; the Brown Pelican is the most common.