7 Fun Facts About the Nēnē, or Hawaiian Goose
There’s more to Hawaiʻi’s state bird than its endangered status.

This story was originally published on July 31, 2019.
Perhaps you’ve seen the friendly, distinctively-colored nēnē (pronounced “nay-nay”) at a park, wildlife refuge, ranch, golf course or zoo in Hawaiʻi. But there’s more to these inquisitive birds than meets the eye.
1. The goose descends from the Canadian goose.

Did you know the nēnē goose descends from the Canadian goose? Based on fossil DNA, all Hawaiian goose species are closely related to the giant Canada goose, and are thought to have migrated to the Islands over 500,000 years ago. Since then, they’ve developed differences though, like padded toes, claws and less webbing on their feet than their distant relatives, all the better to walk on rugged lava rocks.
2. The nēnē is the rarest goose in the world.
When Captain James Cook arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, his naturalists noted that the goose was quite common. But hunting, and predators like mongooses, pigs and cats, reduced the nēnē population to just 30 birds by 1952. The goose has since been bred back from the brink of extinction and re-introduced into the wild. Today, with 2,500 birds in the wild, it is still the sixth-most endangered waterfowl species in the world.
3. The nēnē became Hawaiʻi’s state bird in 1957.

With cultural and historical significance, the nēnē was designated as Hawaiʻi’s state bird in 1957 because it is the only goose native to the Hawaiian Islands.
4. The Hawaiian name “nēnē” comes from the bird’s soft, almost gentle call.
The literal translation of the word in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) means “to chirp, as a cricket; to croak … whimpering, as a sleeping infant.” The goose has also been known to “moo” like a cow.
5. You can see Hawaiian geese in England today.
When the nene were in danger of going completely extinct, an English conservationist named Peter Scott, founder of the Slimbridge Wetland Wildlife Reserve near Gloucestershire, England, helped to save them. He brought breeding pairs to his reserve, and while some of them were returned to Hawaiʻi and released into the wild, several hundred of their descendants still live at the refuge.
6. One of the favorite foods of the nēnē is the bright red ʻōhelo berry that grows on lava.
The ʻōhelo berry is considered sacred to the volcano goddess Pele and offerings of branches with fruit were often thrown into Kīlauea volcano on Hawaiʻi Island by Hawaiian cultural practitioners. The berry is related to the cranberry and quite delicious!

Photo: Getty Images
7. Nēnē are mentioned in the Kumulipo (the Hawaiian creation chant) as being guardian spirits of the land.
In Hawaiian culture, they are seen as a symbolic joining force between the mountains and the coast because of their seasonal movements.
Where To See Nēnē

Although most nēnē live in remote areas far from people, you can still find them in higher-trafficked places like Haleakalā Crater on Maui, Kīlauea Lighthouse on Kauaʻi and the Turtle Bay area on Oʻahu. The Honolulu Zoo also houses some tame nēnē. The best place to see nene in the wild is on Hawaiʻi Island, with the largest number living in and around Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Please remember when you’re admiring these rare birds to keep your distance—they are federally protected and listed as an endangered species. It is unlawful to touch, feed, harass or chase the nene, and each bird is banded.