Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna is a small French territory in the South Pacific, consisting of the Wallis Islands and the more mountainous islands of Futuna and Alofi. Wallis (ʻUvea) is a relatively low volcanic island surrounded by a barrier reef and lagoon dotted with small islets, while Futuna has steep forested mountains rising to more than 500 metres. Nearby Alofi is largely uninhabited and retains more extensive natural forest. The islands have a warm, humid tropical climate with substantial rainfall throughout the year and a wetter season from roughly November to April. Agriculture and villages occupy much of the accessible lowlands, while forest remains particularly important on steeper slopes and Alofi. Traditional Polynesian culture remains prominent, including three customary kingdoms that continue to operate alongside the French administration.
Overview
Wallis and Futuna have a relatively small avifauna but offer several Polynesian regional specialties and distinctive island forms. The standout bird is the Blue-crowned Lorikeet, while forests also support Polynesian Triller, Polynesian Starling, Wattled Honeyeater and Pacific Imperial-Pigeon. Futuna and especially the less-disturbed Alofi retain some of the territory's best native forest habitat. Lagoons, reefs and offshore islets add tropicbirds, boobies, noddies, terns and migratory shorebirds. Birding tourism is virtually undeveloped, with few dedicated guides or established birding sites. Wallis and Futuna can also be relatively complicated to reach, and travel between Wallis and Futuna requires a domestic flight. For birders, the territory is therefore primarily a specialist Pacific stop, worthwhile for regional island birds and remote forest and seabird habitats rather than for a large number of unique endemics.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Imperial-Pigeon Ducula pacifica | 14.9% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.4% | 0.0% | 31.3% | 34.4% | 8.4% | 25.0% | 31.9% | 20.2% | 0.1% | 12.5% |
| Blue-billed White-Tern Gygis candida | 14.9% | 7.5% | 10.0% | 25.4% | 8.4% | 24.2% | 21.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 37.5% | 19.0% | 0.0% | 25.0% |
| Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis | 13.9% | 5.0% | 0.1% | 12.1% | 0.0% | 26.4% | 37.5% | 33.4% | 0.0% | 7.0% | 20.2% | 0.0% | 25.0% |
| Pacific Reef-Heron Egretta sacra | 12.7% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 15.4% | 0.0% | 25.1% | 6.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 31.9% | 38.9% | 0.0% | 25.0% |
| Red-footed Booby Sula sula | 10.8% | 2.5% | 5.0% | 23.9% | 0.0% | 15.6% | 18.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 29.2% | 22.1% | 0.0% | 12.5% |
| White-rumped Swiftlet Aerodramus spodiopygius | 10.0% | 10.0% | 20.0% | 6.8% | 8.3% | 9.9% | 3.1% | 41.7% | 0.0% | 9.7% | 10.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Wandering Tattler Tringa incana | 10.0% | 2.5% | 5.0% | 3.6% | 0.0% | 18.1% | 9.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 33.3% | 10.1% | 0.0% | 37.5% |
| White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus | 9.9% | 7.5% | 5.0% | 20.7% | 0.0% | 28.0% | 3.1% | 25.0% | 0.0% | 5.6% | 24.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Brown Noddy Anous stolidus | 9.8% | 2.5% | 0.0% | 11.8% | 0.0% | 17.2% | 6.3% | 12.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 42.1% | 0.0% | 25.0% |
| Eastern Wattled-Honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus | 9.2% | 5.0% | 20.0% | 0.0% | 16.7% | 8.7% | 3.1% | 41.7% | 0.0% | 5.6% | 10.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |