Hawaii Bird Guide
Hawaiian Goose - Nene
The nene is Hawaii's state bird, a native goose once nearly extinct and now found in grasslands, scrublands, golf courses and open lowlands.
Hawaiian Goose - Nene Overview
The nene, or Hawaiian goose, is Hawaii's state bird. It can be found on Maui at Haleakala National Park, on the Big Island at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Loa and Pu'u Wa'awa'a, on Kauai at Koke'e State Park and Kilauea Point, and on Molokai.
Nene live in grasslands, scrublands, golf courses and open lowlands. They feed on native and introduced plants and are often seen walking through open ground rather than swimming around ponds like many other geese.
Breeding and Conservation
Breeding season usually runs from November to June. Nene build nests hidden under bushes and lay between two and five eggs at a time. Because nesting birds and goslings are vulnerable, it is best to give them space and never feed them.
The nene was nearly extinct in 1951. Captive-bred birds were reintroduced into the wild in the 1950s on the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. Their numbers have increased a lot on Kauai in recent years because mongooses, which prey on nene, are not established there. For other Hawaii birds, compare the Hawaiian stilt and Hawaiian moorhen.
