Guam's Official Symbols: Flag, Seal, Bird, Tree & More

Guam's Official Territorial Symbols, At a Glance

Guam is a U.S. territory, not a sovereign country, so its official emblems are called "territorial symbols" rather than "national symbols" — but locals and visitors alike use "Guam symbols" interchangeably. The core set includes a flag, a seal, a territorial bird, a territorial tree, a territorial flower, a territorial song, and a motto, each adopted by the Guam Legislature at different points through the 20th century.

The Flag of Guam

The Flag of Guam was officially adopted on February 9, 1948. It's a dark blue field bordered by a narrow red stripe on all four sides, with the Seal of Guam centered in white and the word "GUAM" printed across the seal in red letters. You'll see it flown outside government buildings, schools, and hotels across the island, almost always alongside the U.S. flag.

The Seal of Guam

Adopted in 1946, two years before the flag itself, the Seal of Guam is shaped like an almond — a deliberate reference to the Chamorro sling stone, a traditional weapon used for hunting and warfare long before European contact. Inside the seal is a scene of Hagåtña Bay: a traditional proa (an outrigger sailing canoe) skimming across the water, with a coconut tree on the shore. The seal appears on the flag, on government vehicles and documents, and on official seals used across the island's agencies.

The Territorial Bird: The Guam Rail (Ko'ko')

The Guam rail, known locally as the ko'ko', is a flightless bird found nowhere else on Earth. It was driven to near-extinction in the wild after the brown tree snake — an invasive species introduced after World War II — wiped out most of the island's native bird population. Conservationists have spent decades breeding the ko'ko' in captivity and reintroducing it to snake-free areas, including nearby Cocos Island and Rota, and it remains one of the most visible symbols of Guam's ongoing conservation effort.

The Territorial Tree: Ifit (Intsia bijuga)

Adopted in 1969, the ifit is a slow-growing hardwood tree valued for centuries by the CHamoru people for canoe-building, house posts, and furniture — its wood is dense, durable, and resistant to rot and termites. Old-growth ifit trees are now protected, and the wood remains prized for traditional carving and craftsmanship on the island today.

The Territorial Flower: Puti Tai Nobio

Guam's official flower is the bougainvillea, known in CHamoru as puti tai nobio, adopted in 1968. It's such a distinctive part of the island's story — including a CHamoru folk legend behind its name — that it gets its own dedicated guide, covering where it grows, what its name means, and the debate over replacing it with a native species.

The Territorial Song and Motto

Guam's official song is "Stand Ye Guamanians," also known as the Guam Hymn or Kantikun Guåhan, with English lyrics and music written in 1919 by Ramon Manilisay Sablan. It's performed at official ceremonies and civic events across the island. Guam's motto, "Tånó I' Man Chamoru," translates to "Land of the Chamorros" — a short but direct statement of the island's Indigenous identity.

Where to See Guam's Symbols in Person

Most of these symbols are easiest to spot in and around Hagåtña, Guam's capital: the Seal of Guam is carved into government buildings and monuments throughout the village, and the flag flies at the nearby Plaza de España and Latte of Freedom. For a living look at CHamoru culture that produced several of these symbols, the Chamorro Village in Hagåtña is worth combining into the same visit.