email a friend
printable version
WS005
Apia Catchments
Location Samoa, Upolo
Central coordinates 171o 45.46' West  13o 53.58' South
IBA criteria A1, A2
Area 8,266 ha
Altitude 160 - 1,120m
Year of IBA assessment 2010





Ornithological information Good numbers of Tooth-billed Pigeon and Mao have been recorded in some of the survey sites within the IBA, despite its proximity to Apia. Good densities of Samoan Flycatcher, Samoan Triller, Many-coloured Fruit-dove and Polynesian Starling have also beenrecorded on site, while the densities of Red-headed Parrotfinch were higher at this site than any of the other surveyed areas.

Site description This site covers Vaisigano watershed, Leafe Watershed, and Fulusou Watershed, Lake Lanutoo National Park and Mt Vaea Reserve within the central highlands of Upolu.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Tooth-billed Pigeon Didunculus strigirostris resident  2010  -  -  A1, A2  Endangered 
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Purple-capped Fruit-dove Ptilinopus porphyraceus resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Blue-crowned Lorikeet Vini australis resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Flat-billed Kingfisher Todiramphus recurvirostris resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Wattled Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Mao Gymnomyza samoensis resident  2010  -  -  A1, A2  Endangered 
Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Polynesian Triller Lalage maculosa resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Samoan Triller Lalage sharpei resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Near Threatened 
Samoan Whistler Pachycephala flavifrons resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Samoan Fantail Rhipidura nebulosa resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Samoan Flycatcher Myiagra albiventris resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Near Threatened 
Samoan Starling Aplonis atrifusca resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 
Red-headed Parrotfinch Erythrura cyaneovirens resident  -  present [units unknown]  -  A2  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Lake Lanoto'o National Park 2,600 protected area contained by site 2,600  
Lake Lanoto'o Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 0 protected area contained by site 0  
Mt Vaea Botanical Reserve Nature Reserve 52 protected area contained by site 52  

Other biodiversity The land snail Thaumatodon hystricelloides has been recorded on the site, while there is a roost of over 800 bats, Pteropus spp.

Management considerations The main threats to the area are from small scale land clearing for plantations, cyclones and human settlement pressures. Invasive plants may be having a negative impact although the evidence is currently lacking.

Conservation response Some sites, sucha as the Lake Lanutoo National Park and Mount Vaea Nature Reserve are on government land, while the Watershed Regulations in Samoa provide some protection for the catchments within the site.

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Apia Catchments. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife