WS002
Eastern Upolu Craters


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2010 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:
Species Red List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
Shy Ground Dove Pampusana stairi LC resident (-) < 50 A2
Tooth-billed Pigeon Didunculus strigirostris CR resident (-) < 50 A1, A2
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii LC resident (-) present A2
Samoan Fruit-dove Ptilinopus fasciatus LC resident (-) present A2
Flat-billed Kingfisher Todiramphus recurvirostris LC resident (-) present A2
Blue-crowned Lorikeet Vini australis LC resident (-) present A2
Mao Gymnomyza samoensis EN resident (-) < 50 A1, A2
Polynesian Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus LC resident (-) present A2
Samoan Whistler Pachycephala flavifrons LC resident (-) present A2
Polynesian Triller Lalage maculosa LC resident (-) present A2
Samoan Triller Lalage sharpei NT resident (-) present A1, A2
Samoan Fantail Rhipidura nebulosa LC resident (-) present A2
Samoan Flycatcher Myiagra albiventris LC resident (-) present A1, A2
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis LC resident (-) present A2
Samoan Starling Aplonis atrifusca LC resident (-) present A2
Red-headed Parrotfinch Erythrura cyaneovirens LC resident (-) present A2

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2010. The most recent assessment (2010) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2010 not assessed medium very low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
no unset poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Energy production and mining happe­ning now some of popul­ation/area (10–49%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Climate change and severe weather likely in long term (>4 years) most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations) medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Little/none of area covered (<10%) No management planning has taken place Very little or no conservation action taking place very low

Land ownership
Most of the site is under customary ownership, belonging to 4 different districts of Lotofaga, Lepa, Aleipata and Fagaloa.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Eastern Upolu Craters (Samoa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/eastern-upolu-craters-iba-samoa on 23/12/2024.