When do pelicans leave Louisiana?

Brown Pelicans never fully leave Louisiana: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early May, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.2% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see pelicans in Louisiana?

The Brown Pelican is reported most often in mid April, on about 12% of Louisiana checklists.

Which pelicans are in Louisiana?

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

2 pelican species in Louisiana

When Do Pelicans Arrive in Louisiana?

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 Louisiana. Brown Pelicans are in Louisiana all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in mid April (12% of checklists), and fall back by early May. In the quietest week (the second week of June) they are still on about 3.2% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 8-14the second week of October

PeakApr 15-21mid April

Fall back byMay 1-7early May

FewestJun 8-14the second week of June

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of October and fall back by early May. Peak: on about 12% of Louisiana checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Pelicans in Louisiana, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Brown Pelican	Oct 8-14	Oct 8-14	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	12%
American White Pelican	Sep 22-30	Oct 15-21	Jan 8-14	Mar 15-21	9.5%

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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana

Best counties for Brown Pelican

Share of checklists at the peak

St. Charles ParishBest mid January · 23 checklists that week, 969 in all56%
Cameron ParishBest early July · 65 checklists that week, 17,943 in all47%
St. Bernard ParishBest late September · 26 checklists that week, 1,331 in all46%
Plaquemines ParishBest mid February · 108 checklists that week, 3,374 in all45%
Jefferson ParishBest mid April · 2129 checklists that week, 25,795 in all36%
St. Mary ParishBest mid January · 58 checklists that week, 2,241 in all28%

Common questions

When do pelicans arrive in Louisiana?: Brown Pelicans are in Louisiana all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in mid April (12% of checklists), and fall back by early May. In the quietest week (the second week of June) they are still on about 3.2% of checklists.
When do pelicans leave Louisiana?: Brown Pelicans never fully leave Louisiana: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early May, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.2% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see pelicans in Louisiana?: The Brown Pelican is reported most often in mid April, on about 12% of Louisiana checklists.
Which pelicans are in Louisiana?: Brown Pelican and American White Pelican are reported regularly; the Brown Pelican is the most common.