Territory of American Samoa

American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the South Pacific Ocean. It is 64 km (40 miles) southeast of the island country of Samoa, east of the International Date Line and the Wallis and Futuna Islands, west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and 500 km (310 miles) south of Tokelau. American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States, situated 3,500 km (2,200 miles) southwest of the US state of Hawaii, and one of two US territories south of the Equator, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island.

It consists of the eastern part of the Samoan archipelago; the inhabited volcanic islands of Tutuila, Aunuʻu, Ofu, Olosega and Taʻū and the uninhabited Rose Atoll, as well as Swains Island, a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau volcanic island group. The total land area is just under 200 km2 (77 square miles), slightly larger than Washington, DC. Including its territorial waters, the total area is 304,000 km2 (117,500 square miles), about the size of New Zealand. It has a tropical climate, with 90 percent of its land covered by rainforests. The population is approximately 47,400 people who are concentrated on Tutuila, which hosts the capital and largest settlement, Pago Pago. The vast majority of residents are indigenous ethnic Samoans, most of whom are fluent in the official – languages, English and Samoan.

Ofu Beach – T©he US National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The five volcanic islands are Tutuila, Aunuʻu, Ofu, Olosega, and Taʻū. The coral atolls are Swains and Rose Atoll. Of the seven islands, Rose Atoll is the only uninhabited one; it is a Marine National Monument. American Samoa is the southernmost reach of the United States at fourteen degrees below the equator. Due to its positioning in the South Pacific Ocean, it is frequently hit by tropical cyclones between November and April. Rose Atoll is the easternmost point of the territory. American Samoa’s Rose Atoll is the southernmost point of the United States. The highest mountains are: Lata Mountain (Taʻū), 3,170 feet; Matafao Peak, 2,141 feet; Piumafua (Olosega), 2,095 feet; and Tumutumu (Ofu), 1,621 feet. Mount Pioa, nicknamed the Rainmaker, is 1,718 feet. American Samoa is also home to some of the world’s highest sea cliffs at 3,000 feet.

Birding American Samoa

American Samoa lies within two terrestrial eco-regions: Samoan tropical moist forests and Western Polynesian tropical moist forests.

Forest cover is around 86% of the total land area, equivalent to 17,130 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 18,070 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 17,130 hectares (ha), of which 1% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 15% of the forest area was found within protected areas.

American Samoa is home to the National Park of American Samoa. A team from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation conducted a parks survey on American Samoa in the 1960s. Their team recommended sites at Cape Taputapu, Leʻala at Vailoatai, Aʻoloau (the plateau), Matautuloa Point, Nuʻuuli, Matafao Peak, Pago Pago, Vaiʻava Strait, Anasosopo, ʻAoa, Cape Matautuloa, and Aunuʻu Island.

National Park of American Samoa – ©Marshman CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Notable terrestrial species include the Pacific tree boa and the Samoa flying fox, which has a three-foot wingspread. The islands are home to two species of fruit bats: Pacific flying fox and Samoa flying fox. The sheath-tailed bat is another species found here, which is a smaller insect-eating bat. The Brahminy blind snake is found on Tutuila. The islands are home to five species of geckos: Pacific slender-toed gecko, oceanic gecko, mourning gecko, stump-toed gecko, and house gecko. Turtles include the threatened green sea turtle and the endangered hawksbill sea turtle. Hawksbill sea turtles tend to nest on Tutuila beaches, while the green sea turtle is most common on Rose Atoll. Tutuila has the highest number of nesting turtles, consisting of around fifty nesting females per year. With over 950 species of native fish and 250 coral species, American Samoa has the greatest marine biodiversity in the United States.

Sixteen of the Samoan Islands’ 34 bird species are found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the critically endangered Tooth-billed Pigeon. Four species of birds are only found in the Manuʻa Islands and not on Tutuila. These include American Samoa’s only parrot, the Blue-crowned Lory. Other special birds to Manuʻa are the Lesser Shrikebill and the Friendly Ground-dove. The Spotless Crake has only been observed on Taʻū Island.

There are more species of birds than all species of reptiles, mammals and amphibians combined. Native land birds include two honeyeaters: Cardinal Honeyeater and Wattled Honeyeater. Cardinal Honeyeaters only occur on Tutuila Island. The only endemic land bird to American Samoa is the Samoan Starling. Four pigeons are native: Pacific Imperial Pigeon, Many-colored Fruit-dove, White-capped Fruit-dove, and Shy Ground Dove. Bat and Pigeon hunting is banned. The Many-colored Fruit-dove is one of the rarest birds that nest on Tutuila. Studies in the 1980s estimated their population size to be only around 80 birds. Amalau Valley is described as the best place to observe them.

Pola Island – ©Tavita Togia, National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The offshore islet of Pola Island near Vatia is a nesting site for many seabird species and an excellent area to observe seabirds. The Pola region of Vatia and Rose Atoll are the only places in American Samoa where there are breeding colonies of Red-footed Boobies.  Birds that depend on freshwater habitat include the Pacific Reef Heron and Pacific Black Duck, the Samoan Islands’ only species of duck. The largest wetland areas are the pala lagoons in Nuʻuuli and Leone as well as Pala Lake on Aunuʻu Island.