The Nene Bird in Its Habitat

The Nene, (pronounced nay-nay) is also known as the Hawaiian goose and is native to portions of the Hawaiian Islands. It is an endangered species. Designated as the state bird of Hawaii by its legislature in 1957, the Nene goose takes its name from the sounds it produces, according to WhatBird.come. The Nene goose does not migrate, staying in its island habitat and moving only from one part to another.

  1. Geography

    • The Nene lives on the big island of Hawaii, with many located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The Nene frequents the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano as well as the Kilauea and Hualalai volcanoes. The Hawaiian island of Maui also has populations of the Nene. In 1982, Hurricane Iwa hit the island of Kauai and subsequently blew apart the cages that many captive Nene geese lived in, releasing them into the wild where they established another group.

    Effects

    • An estimated 25,000 Nene geese resided in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778 when Captain Cooke explored the region. However, the Wild Ones website states that by the 1950s, just 30 remained. The introduction of nonnative animals such as dogs, cats and the mongoose, which became fierce predators of the Nene, caused great declination in the bird's numbers. The Nene was the victim of overhunting as well, but now is a protected species throughout its habitat.

    Identification

    • Like all geese, the Nene is a monomorphic species, with the females and males looking alike with the exception that the males are slightly larger. The Nene weighs between 67 and 74 ounces and has a length in the range of 22 to 28 inches. The Nene has a black head and neck area with yellowish cheeks. The back and wings are a gray-brown with barred patterns, while the breast of the Nene is grayish-brown. The bird's feet are black, as is its bill.

    Function

    • The webbing between the toes on a Nene goose is smaller than typical geese and indicative of its adaptation to land. The Honolulu Zoo website says that the Nene is a "semi-terrestrial" species of goose, traversing the lava fields on the islands in search of food. The Nene goose also possesses modified wings designed to take the bird on short flights, as the need for longer ones does not exist.

    Behavior

    • The Nene typically builds a nest out of leaves, down and twigs beneath a tree or a bush. The female will lay two or three eggs, which require from 29 to 32 days to hatch. By the time the juveniles are 5 months old, they already look just like the adults. The Nene survives on a diet of seeds, grasses, berries, fruits, flowers and leaves, getting most of its water from the dew or from the plants it gobbles down.