Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is in the Pelicans family (Pelecanidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 90,033 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 Brown Pelican: observations by month (U.S.)

About Brown Pelican

The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a North American bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae. It is one of three pelican species found in the Americas and one of only two that feeds by diving in water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from Nova Scotia to the mouth of the Amazon River, and along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Chile, including the Galapagos Islands. The nominate subspecies in its breeding plumage...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Brown Pelican by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Pelicans)

American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos

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