Whales in Mississippi in May
Yes, May is a good month to see whales in Mississippi. It is the 6th busiest month of the year, with 13 of the 148 sightings logged across the year (8.8%), 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 July 2, 2026.
Common Bottlenose Dolphin · Public domain CC0
Common Bottlenose Dolphin · Tia Offner CC BY
Common Bottlenose Dolphin · evangrimes CC BY
Good month for whales in Mississippi
8.8%
of yearly sightings
13
records in May
#6
busiest month of 12
148
verified records a year
April 6.1%, May 8.8%, June 10.1%. Busiest month is September at 16.9%.
148 verified observations of whales in Mississippi, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When whales are recorded in Mississippi
Peak month
September
25 records (16.9% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 4 | 2.7% |
| February | 14 | 9.5% |
| March | 14 | 9.5% |
| April | 9 | 6.1% |
| May | 13 | 8.8% |
| Junepeak | 15 | 10.1% |
| Julypeak | 20 | 13.5% |
| August | 12 | 8.1% |
| Septemberpeak | 25 | 16.9% |
| October | 8 | 5.4% |
| November | 8 | 5.4% |
| December | 6 | 4.1% |
Whales you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Common Bottlenose Dolphin | 144 |
| Fin Whale | 1 |
In Mississippi, May carries 8.8% of the year's whales sightings, about 0.5 points above an even month-to-month split. That makes it the 6th busiest of the twelve months, out of 12 months with recorded activity.
Activity is rising from April (6.1%) into May, and it heads toward June (10.1%) after. The busiest month is September (16.9%), so if timing is flexible, that window is the safer bet.
The whales most often recorded in Mississippi are Common Bottlenose Dolphin and Fin 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 Dolphin144 records
- Fin Whale1 records
Frequently asked questions
Can you see whales in Mississippi in May?+
Yes. May accounts for 13 of the 148 verified whales sightings logged in Mississippi across the year, which is 8.8% of the annual total.
Is May a good time to see whales in Mississippi?+
May is the 6th busiest month. It is workable, though September and July is the stronger window for a reliable sighting.
What month is best for whales in Mississippi?+
September is the single busiest month, with the broader peak running through September, July and June, based on 148 verified observations.
Which whales are you most likely to see in Mississippi?+
The most-recorded species in Mississippi are Common Bottlenose Dolphin and Fin Whale, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.
See whales in Mississippi in other months
More wildlife in Mississippi