When do pelicans leave Texas?

Brown Pelicans never fully leave Texas: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early May, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.8% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see pelicans in Texas?

The Brown Pelican is reported most often in mid April, on about 10% of Texas checklists.

Which pelicans are in Texas?

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

2 pelican species in Texas

When Do Pelicans Arrive in Texas?

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 Texas. Brown Pelicans are in Texas all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late March, peak in mid April (10% of checklists), and fall back by early May. In the quietest week (the second week of June) they are still on about 3.8% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 22-31late March

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 late March and fall back by early May. Peak: on about 10% of Texas checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octcommon
Novpeak season
Deccommon

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

Pelicans in Texas, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Brown Pelican	Mar 22-31	Mar 22-31	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	10%
American White Pelican	Sep 8-14	Oct 8-14	Jan 8-14	Mar 22-31	9.9%

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 Texas 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 Texas

Best counties for Brown Pelican

Share of checklists at the peak

Galveston CountyBest early June · 961 checklists that week, 129,637 in all54%
Calhoun CountyBest late June · 58 checklists that week, 7,186 in all51%
Aransas CountyBest late November · 804 checklists that week, 30,389 in all47%
Kleberg CountyBest mid July · 104 checklists that week, 9,722 in all40%
Nueces CountyBest late February · 2813 checklists that week, 86,594 in all40%
Matagorda CountyBest early June · 57 checklists that week, 8,247 in all35%

Common questions

When do pelicans arrive in Texas?: Brown Pelicans are in Texas all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late March, peak in mid April (10% of checklists), and fall back by early May. In the quietest week (the second week of June) they are still on about 3.8% of checklists.
When do pelicans leave Texas?: Brown Pelicans never fully leave Texas: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early May, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.8% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see pelicans in Texas?: The Brown Pelican is reported most often in mid April, on about 10% of Texas checklists.
Which pelicans are in Texas?: Brown Pelican and American White Pelican are reported regularly; the Brown Pelican is the most common.