National Park of American Samoa - Tutuila


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2012 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
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii LC resident (1986) min 15 birds A2
Samoan Fruit-dove Ptilinopus fasciatus LC resident (1986) min 1,300 birds A2
Polynesian Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus LC resident (1986) min 16,750 birds A2
Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis LC resident (1986) min 1,800 birds A2
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis LC resident (1986) min 2,247 birds A2
Samoan Starling Aplonis atrifusca LC resident (1986) min 7,508 birds A2

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2012. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

IBA conservation assessment
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2012 not assessed medium low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes population medium

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species Actual vs Reference (units) % remaining Result
White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus 463 / 463 (birds) 100 not assessed
Gygis alba 3,779 / 3,779 (birds) 100 not assessed

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes 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) whole of popul­ation/area (>90%) slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) medium
Biological resource use happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations) low
Pollution happe­ning now few indivi­duals/small area (<10%) no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations) low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Most of area (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species) A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive Very little or no conservation action taking place low

IBA Protection

Year Protected Area Designation (management category) % coverage of IBA
1988 Not Reported National Park (V) 84
1988 American Samoa National Park (II) 100
2003 Vatia Village Marine Protected Area (V) <1


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: National Park of American Samoa - Tutuila (American Samoa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/national-park-of-american-samoa--tutuila-iba-american-samoa on 23/12/2024.