WhenToBird

2 pelican species in South Carolina

When Do Pelicans Arrive in South Carolina?

Adult male Brown Pelican
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 South Carolina. The Brown Pelican is in South Carolina all year. It turns up on about 14% of checklists at its peak (mid November) and on 7.9% in its quietest week (early May).

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekNov 15-21mid November
Quietest weekMay 1-7early May

Best: mid November. Here all year. Peak: on about 14% of South Carolina checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprcommon
  5. Maycommon
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

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

Pelicans in South Carolina, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Brown Pelicanall year–Nov 15-21–14%
American White PelicanOct 15-21Oct 15-21Dec 1-7Mar 1-73.4%
0%5%10%15%20%Brown PelicanAmerican White PelicanJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina

Best counties for Brown Pelican

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Georgetown CountyBest late November · 917 checklists that week, 32,234 in all45%
  2. Colleton CountyBest the second week of August · 88 checklists that week, 8,909 in all31%
  3. Charleston CountyBest mid November · 1720 checklists that week, 102,218 in all30%
  4. Beaufort CountyBest late July · 1052 checklists that week, 60,298 in all30%
  5. Horry CountyBest the second week of March · 718 checklists that week, 27,518 in all22%
  6. Berkeley CountyBest mid January · 397 checklists that week, 17,740 in all10%

Common questions

When do pelicans arrive in South Carolina?
The Brown Pelican is in South Carolina all year. It turns up on about 14% of checklists at its peak (mid November) and on 7.9% in its quietest week (early May).
When do pelicans leave South Carolina?
The Brown Pelican does not leave South Carolina: it is reported all year, from 7.9% of checklists in early May to 14% in mid November.
When is the best time to see pelicans in South Carolina?
The Brown Pelican is reported most often in mid November, on about 14% of South Carolina checklists.
Which pelicans are in South Carolina?
Brown Pelican and American White Pelican are reported regularly; the Brown Pelican is the most common.