History

• The Nene looks a lot like the Canada goose, and it is thought they are descended from groups that lost their way. In 1778, James Cook arrived on the island where thousands of Nene made their home. Before Cook arrived, there had been a diverse array of geese on the islands; by his arrival they had all vanished. Due to predation and loss of habitat, the Nene remains threatened.
  
  

Description

• The Nene's face is black as well as the crown. The cheeks are a cream color, with the neck a pale gray streaked with black. Body and wings are grayish-brown. Legs and feet, as well as the bill, are all black. The Nene has brown eyes. While both males and females look alike, the males are typically larger.
  
  

Breeding

• Females will nest on the ground and lay about four eggs. They prefer shrub, grass and woodlands with well-drained soil. Nene nests can also be found around volcanic ash, lava rock and cinder. The breeding season extends from October through February.
  
  

Diet

• Nene eat a variety of leaves, fruits, buds and seeds native to the Islands. Water comes in the form of the juicy native berries. While the Nene have been able to adapt to eat newly introduced plants, they have competition from many of the upland birds that have also been introduced to the Islands.
  
  

Hunting

• Once the Nene was plentiful and hunted, but by 1951 over-hunting, as well as predators, dropped the number to fewer than 30. Due to the Nene being on the endangered species list, hunting of the Nene is no longer allowed. Around 500 Nene are still living in the wild, with around 2,000 in captivity.