List of birds of American Samoa

This is a list of the bird species recorded in American Samoa. The avifauna of American Samoa includes a total of 65 species, of which 5 have been introduced by humans, 14 are rare or accidental and 1 species, the Mao, is extirpated.Watling, Dick (2001) "A Guide to the Birds of Fiji & Western Polynesia", Environmental Consultants (Fiji), Suva.] 6 species are globally threatened.cite web | last = Lepage | first = Denis | url = http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/avibase.jsp?region=as&pg=checklist&list=clements | title = Checklist of birds of American Samoa | work = Bird Checklists of the World|publisher = Avibase | accessdate = 25 September | accessyear = 2008] American Samoa has no endemic bird species but several near-endemics occur and many of the land birds occur in good numbers. A variety of seabirds breed in the islands. Hunting and introduced predators have reduced their numbers but there are still some important breeding sites such as Lata Mountain on Ta'u Island.O'Connor, P. J. & Rauzon M. J. (2004) " [http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/techr/136/default.htm Inventory and monitoring of seabirds in National Park of American Samoa.] " Retrieved on 25 September 2008.]

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of Clements's 6th edition.cite book | title= The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World | first= James F. | last = Clements | publisher = Cornell University Press | date = 2007 | id = ISBN 9780801445019 ] The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflects this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for American Samoa.

The following tags have been used to highlight certain relevant categories. It must be noted that not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring, native species.

* (A) Accidental A species that rarely or accidentally occurs in American Samoa.
* (I) Introduced A species introduced to American Samoa as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions.
* (Ex) Extirpated A species that no longer occurs in American Samoa although populations exist elsewhere.

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hearwaters and petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with a medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are about 77 species worldwide and 12 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Tahiti Petrel "Pterodroma rostrata"
*Mottled Petrel "Pterodroma inexpectata" (A)
*Herald Petrel "Pterodroma arminjoniana"
*White-necked Petrel "Pterodroma cervicalis"
*Gould's Petrel "Pterodroma leucoptera"
*Flesh-footed Shearwater "Puffinus carneipes" (A)
*Wedge-tailed Shearwater "Puffinus pacificus" (A)
*Sooty Shearwater "Puffinus griseus"
*Short-tailed Shearwater "Puffinus tenuirostris"
*Christmas Shearwater "Puffinus nativitatis"
*Townsend's Shearwater "Puffinus auricularis" (A)
*Audubon's Shearwater "Puffinus lherminieri"

torm-petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae

The storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels, and are the smallest of sea-birds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. There are about 20 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in American Samoa.

*White-faced Storm-Petrel "Pelagodroma marina" (A)
*Black-bellied Storm-Petrel "Fregetta tropica" (A)
*Polynesian Storm-Petrel "Nesofregetta fuliginosa"

Tropicbirds

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings. There are 3 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Red-tailed Tropicbird "Phaethon rubricauda"
*White-tailed Tropicbird "Phaethon lepturus"

Boobies

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups comprise medium-to-large coastal sea-birds that plunge-dive for fish. There are about 10 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Masked Booby "Sula dactylatra"
*Red-footed Booby "Sula sula"
*Brown Booby "Sula leucogaster"

Frigatebirds

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large sea-birds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are 5 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Great Frigatebird "Fregata minor"
*Lesser Frigatebird "Fregata ariel"

Herons and egrets

Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are about 63 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in American Samoa.

*White-faced Heron "Egretta novaehollandiae" (A)
*Pacific Reef-Heron "Egretta sacra"

Ducks

Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are about 159 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Pacific Black Duck "Anas superciliosa"

Pheasants and partridges

Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they may vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. There are about 155 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Red Junglefowl "Gallus gallus" (I)

Rails, crakes, and gallinules

Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are about 135 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Buff-banded Rail "Gallirallus philippensis"
*Spotless Crake "Porzana tabuensis"
*Purple Swamphen "Porphyrio porphyrio"

Plovers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are about 66 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Pacific Golden-Plover "Pluvialis fulva"

andpipers and allies

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae

The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are about 89 species worldwide and 6 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Bar-tailed Godwit "Limosa lapponica" (A)
*Whimbrel "Numenius phaeopus" (A)
*Bristle-thighed Curlew "Numenius tahitiensis"
*Wandering Tattler "Heterosceles incanus"
*Ruddy Turnstone "Arenaria interpres"
*Sanderling "Calidris alba" (A)

Gulls

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes gulls and kittiwakes. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are about 56 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Laughing Gull "Larus atricilla" (A)

Terns

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Sternidae

Terns are a group of generally general medium to large sea-birds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are about 44 species worldwide and 9 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Great Crested Tern "Sterna bergii" (A)
*Black-naped Tern "Sterna sumatrana" (A)
*Gray-backed Tern "Sterna lunata"
*Bridled Tern "Sterna anaethetus" (A)
*Sooty Tern "Sterna fuscata"
*Black Noddy "Anous minutus"
*Brown Noddy "Anous stolidus"
*Blue Noddy "Procelsterna cerulea"
*White Tern "Gygis alba"

Pigeons and doves

right|thumb|Many-coloured Fruit-dove or "manuma",rare and threatened by hunting.Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are about 308 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Rock Pigeon "Columba livia" (I)
*Friendly Ground-dove "Gallicolumba stairi"
*Many-coloured Fruit-dove "Ptilinopus perousii"
*Purple-capped Fruit-dove "Ptilinopus porphyraceus"
*Pacific Imperial-pigeon "Ducula pacifica"

Parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are about 347 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Blue-crowned Lorikeet "Vini australis"

Cuckoos

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are about 141 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Long-tailed Koel "Eudynamys taitensis"

Barn owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are about 16 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Barn Owl "Tyto alba"

wifts

Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae

Swifts are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are about 100 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*White-rumped Swiftlet "Aerodramus spodiopygius"

Kingfishers

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are about 93 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Collared Kingfisher "Todirhamphus chloris"

Bulbuls

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests. There are about 130 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Red-vented Bulbul "Pycnonotus cafer" (I)

Monarch flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Monarchidae

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines, which hunt by flycatching. There are about 100 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in American Samoa.

*Fiji Shrikebill "Clytorhynchus vitiensis"

Honeyeaters

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Meliphagidae

The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea. They are nectar feeders and closely resemble other nectar-feeding passerines. There are about 174 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Cardinal Myzomela "Myzomela cardinalis"
*Wattled Honeyeater "Foulehaio carunculata"
*Mao "Gymnomyza samoensis" (Ex)

tarlings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. There are about 114 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in American Samoa.

*Polynesian Starling "Aplonis tabuensis"
*Samoan Starling "Aplonis atrifusca"
*Jungle Myna "Acridotheres fuscus" (I)
*Common Myna "Acridotheres tristis" (I)

ee also

*List of birds
*Lists of birds by region

References