American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is in the Pelicans family (Pelecanidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 65,965 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph American White Pelican: observations by month (U.S.)
About American White Pelican
The American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is a large aquatic soaring bird from the order Pelecaniformes. It breeds in interior North America, moving south and to the coasts, as far as Central America and South America, in winter.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
American White Pelican by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 20,640 | January | Dec–Nov |
| Texas | 11,033 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Florida | 4,751 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Colorado | 3,634 | April | Apr–Aug |
| Illinois | 2,304 | April | Mar–May |
| Wisconsin | 2,124 | April | Apr–Aug |
| Utah | 2,094 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Minnesota | 2,066 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Oregon | 1,980 | September | Apr–Oct |
| Arizona | 997 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Wyoming | 992 | July | May–Aug |
| Washington | 987 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Ohio | 947 | May | Mar–May |
| Oklahoma | 892 | November | Sep–Apr |
| Idaho | 834 | June | Apr–Sep |
| Iowa | 824 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Louisiana | 818 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Nevada | 761 | March | Dec–Oct |
| Kansas | 628 | September | Sep–Nov |
| Missouri | 583 | March | Feb–Jun |
| Alabama | 579 | November | Oct–Mar |
| Montana | 550 | June | Apr–Aug |
| Indiana | 463 | April | Mar–Apr |
| South Dakota | 461 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Tennessee | 439 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Michigan | 404 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Nebraska | 381 | April | Mar–Jul |
| North Dakota | 373 | June | May–Aug |
| South Carolina | 360 | January | Nov–Mar |
| New Mexico | 331 | April | Mar–Jul |
| North Carolina | 306 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Arkansas | 294 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Maryland | 206 | February | Dec–Jun |
| Mississippi | 202 | January | Oct–Feb |
| Virginia | 179 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Georgia | 164 | March | Oct–May |
| Kentucky | 124 | October | Oct–Mar |
| New York | 109 | September | Sep–Oct |
| New Jersey | 55 | October | Sep–Dec |
| Delaware | 32 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 23 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Vermont | 13 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Maine | 6 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 6 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Rhode Island | 5 | September | Sep–Oct |
| West Virginia | 5 | July | Jul–Jul |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Pelicans)
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph American White Pelican?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to February.
Where is American White Pelican most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Florida.