The Nene or Hawaiian goose

Nene photographed in Maui on a farmer's field.

Nene is the local term for the Hawaiian goose.  They are an endemic species and the official state bird of Hawaii.  Like many other endemic species, its numbers were in drastic decline during the 1900s.  In 1952, there were only 30 surviving individuals.  Today there are approximately 2500 birds found throughout the Hawaiian Islands, although Oahu reported only a single pair in 2014.

The closest relative to the Nene is the Canada goose.  It has been estimated that these forebearers first arrived on the archipelago about 500,000 years ago and produced a stable population.  In the 1700s there may have been as many as 25,000, ten times more than today.  Their numbers have declined because of predation, mostly from introduced species such as mongoose, owls, and stray cats.  

An intense conservation effort and breeding program has helped to bring the birds back from the brink of extinction.  The geese are hardy and can handle extremes in climate.  They are found from sea level up to a height of 7,900 feet.  They eat a wide variety of plant foods including grass, leaves, and berries.  They are not particularly fond of water and spend most of their time on land.

Like their Canadian brethren, the geese are monogamous in nature.  They lay an average of 3-4 eggs per clutch, but there may be as many as 5 eggs in a nest.  They breed once a year.  The bird breeds well in captivity; there are about 1000 individuals world-wide in zoos.  Given the birds' cultural and state importance, it is not likely that they will be threatened with extinction again.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com