Bird Specimens from American Samoa

Abstract

About 1300 specimens of birds have been taken on the seven islands that constitute American Samoa in the southwestern Pacific Ocean; about 1200 specimens representing 43 species were examined. Information on the biology of these species, especially annual cycles of breeding and molt, is presented to the extent that it can be determined from these specimens and the associated data. Most of the specimens were taken in only a few months of the calendar year, and the annual cycle remains incompletely known even for those few species with large samples of specimens. Taxonomic comments are given for a few species, and the extensive variability in Halcyon chloris pealei is discussed.