Bahamas, Canada (B), Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, USA (B).
Vagrant to Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica, St Pierre and Miquelon (P), Virgin Islands (U.S.).
Unknown to Honduras.
Inland northern America, from British Columbia to south-western Ontario (Canada) and north-eastern California to south-western Minnesota, south-eastern Texas (USA). Winters Pacific and Atlantic coasts from USA to Costa Rica.
 
Population
Estimated population is 180,000 (2010).
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) [XC175255]
by Jonathon Jongsma from Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, Washington, Minnesota, United States (wing noise)
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) [XC175257]
by Andrew Spencer from Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, Washington, Minnesota, United States (call, wing noise)