National Park of American Samoa - Tutuila


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important 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 List1 Season Year(s) Size IBA criteria
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii LC resident 1986 min 15 individuals A2
Samoan Fruit-dove Ptilinopus fasciatus LC resident 1986 min 1,300 individuals A2
Polynesian Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus LC resident 1986 min 16,750 individuals A2
Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis LC resident 1986 min 1,800 individuals A2
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis LC resident 1986 min 2,247 individuals A2
Samoan Starling Aplonis atrifusca LC resident 1986 min 7,508 individuals A2

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2012) may differ.


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 Reference Actual Units % remaining Result
White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus 463 463 individuals 100 not assessed
Gygis alba 3,779 3,779 individuals 100 not assessed

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Climate change and severe weather likely in long term (beyond 4 years) whole area/population (>90%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes happening now some of area/population (10-49%) slow but significant deterioration medium
Biological resource use happening now small area/few individuals (<10%) no or imperceptible deterioration low
Pollution happening now small area/few individuals (<10%) no or imperceptible deterioration low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas Management plan Other action Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species) A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive Very little or no conservation action taking place low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 % overlap with IBA
1988 Not Reported National Park 84
1988 American Samoa National Park 100
2003 Vatia Village Marine Protected Area <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 23/11/2024.