Whales in Louisiana in May
Yes, May is one of the best months to see whales in Louisiana. It is the 2nd busiest month of the year, with 38 of the 258 sightings logged across the year (14.7%), based on verified iNaturalist records.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated June 28, 2026.
Common Bottlenose Dolphin · Brandon Johnson CC BY
Common Bottlenose Dolphin · Jody Shugart CC BY
Common Bottlenose Dolphin · eamonccorbett CC BY
Peak month for whales in Louisiana
14.7%
of yearly sightings
38
records in May
#2
busiest month of 12
258
verified records a year
April 22.5%, May 14.7%, June 8.1%. Busiest month is April at 22.5%.
258 verified observations of whales in Louisiana, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When whales are recorded in Louisiana
Peak month
April
58 records (22.5% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 15 | 5.8% |
| February | 6 | 2.3% |
| March | 23 | 8.9% |
| Aprilpeak | 58 | 22.5% |
| Maypeak | 38 | 14.7% |
| June | 21 | 8.1% |
| July | 14 | 5.4% |
| August | 10 | 3.9% |
| September | 11 | 4.3% |
| Octoberpeak | 31 | 12% |
| November | 21 | 8.1% |
| December | 10 | 3.9% |
Whales you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Common Bottlenose Dolphin | 249 |
| Melon-headed Whale | 1 |
In Louisiana, May carries 14.7% of the year's whales sightings, about 6.4 points above an even month-to-month split. That makes it the 2nd busiest of the twelve months, out of 12 months with recorded activity.
Activity is easing off from April (22.5%) into May, and it heads toward June (8.1%) after. This is right inside the peak window, so May is one of the surest months to plan a trip around.
The whales most often recorded in Louisiana are Common Bottlenose Dolphin and Melon-headed Whale. Those counts are annual totals rather than a May split, so treat them as which species you are likely to encounter, while the month figures above show how many sightings fall in May itself.
Which whales you are most likely to see
- Common Bottlenose Dolphin249 records
- Melon-headed Whale1 records
Frequently asked questions
Can you see whales in Louisiana in May?+
Yes. May accounts for 38 of the 258 verified whales sightings logged in Louisiana across the year, which is 14.7% of the annual total.
Is May a good time to see whales in Louisiana?+
May is one of the best months. It ranks 2nd of the year and sits inside the peak window of April, May and October.
What month is best for whales in Louisiana?+
April is the single busiest month, with the broader peak running through April, May and October, based on 258 verified observations.
Which whales are you most likely to see in Louisiana?+
The most-recorded species in Louisiana are Common Bottlenose Dolphin and Melon-headed Whale, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.
See whales in Louisiana in other months
More wildlife in Louisiana