Baby Nene

Baby Nēnē

A baby nēnē makes its way through the grass, learning how to walk, run, and take care of itself. The nēnē is Hawaii’s State Bird and is endemic to Hawaii.

When it grows up, this nēnē will look a lot like a Canadian Goose, save alternating markings on its neck, a shorter wingspan, and feet that have less webbing. It is thought that the shorter wingspan developed over years of not migrating–and who can blame them for choosing to stick around? The webbing is thought to have developed so that the birds could more easily navigate walking on fields of ʻaʻā lava and other rocky terrain.

The nēnē is on the endangered species list and therefore protected by law. It is illegal to feed, touch, chase or otherwise harass them. Current estimates put the total population of nēnē at around 2,500 in the world. Their population has been growing since the last estimate in 2005.

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