Hawaii State Bird – Nene – Branta sandvicensis

State Bird of Hawaii – The Nene

The Nene (pronounced “nay-nay”), the official state bird of Hawaii, is a land bird and a variety of Hawaiian Goose.  It has adapted itself to life in the harsh lava country by transforming its webbed feet into a claw-like shape and modifying its wing structure for shorter flights. Hunting and wild animals all but destroyed the species until they were protected by law and a restoration project was established in 1949.

The Hawaiian state bird, the Nene, was a bird not known to Audubon in his time, and was therefore not included in the 1840 edition of Birds of America.