Walk across a golf course on Maui or hike the slopes of Haleakalā and you might spot a goose that looks a little different from the ones back home. That's the nēnē, the Hawaiian goose — Hawaiʻi's official state bird and one of the rarest geese in the world.
A Close Cousin of the Canada Goose
The nēnē (Branta sandvicensis) descends from Canada geese that found their way to the islands hundreds of thousands of years ago and, over time, evolved into a species all their own. Unlike their mainland relatives, nēnē spend most of their lives on land rather than water. Their feet have adapted too: the webbing is reduced, which makes them better suited to walking across lava rock and grassy slopes than paddling across ponds.
How to Recognize One
A nēnē has a black head and face, a buff-and-cream neck marked with deep, furrowed stripes, and a grayish-brown body. They're smaller and more upright than a typical Canada goose, with a distinctive honking call that carries across open fields. You'll most often see them grazing in small flocks, grazing on grasses, berries, and leaves at dawn or dusk.
Brought Back From the Brink
By the mid-1900s, the nēnē was nearly extinct — hunting, introduced predators like mongooses and feral cats, and habitat loss had pushed the population down to roughly 30 birds in the wild. A dedicated captive breeding and reintroduction program, started in the 1940s and 50s, slowly brought the species back. Today the nēnē population numbers in the thousands, spread mainly across Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, and Kauaʻi, with Kauaʻi's population doing especially well thanks to fewer predators. It remains listed as threatened, and conservation work continues at places like Haleakalā National Park and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Where to See the Nēnē
Visitors often spot nēnē in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Haleakalā National Park, as well as along quieter roads and golf courses on Kauaʻi. If you're lucky enough to see one, keep a respectful distance — they're a protected species, and getting too close can stress nesting pairs. Slowing down for a nēnē crossing the road is practically a local rite of passage on the Big Island and Kauaʻi.
The nēnē's story is part of a much bigger picture of native Hawaiian flora and fauna that evolved in isolation, from rare silverswords to the islands' native birds. Our Flora & Nature collection celebrates that same island wildlife and scenery, designed with the same respect for the place it comes from.
Bring the islands home: Explore our Flora & Nature collection — original designs from our Native Hawaiian–owned studio in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi. Here are a few of the newest additions:
Spring Bloom Tee — a tropical floral design inspired by the islands in bloom.
Coconut Girl Vibes Tee — easygoing island style for beach days and nature walks alike.
Plumeria Garden Tee — a tribute to one of Hawaiʻi's most iconic blooms.