The Hawaiian goose, Hawaii's state bird, known for its distinctive call and adaptation to volcanic terrain. Also used as an affectionate term in some cultures.
From Hawaiian nēnē, an onomatopoetic word that imitates the bird's soft honking call. The name has been used by Native Hawaiians for centuries and was adopted into English when the species was scientifically described.
The nēnē is a conservation success story - it evolved from Canada geese that arrived in Hawaii over 500,000 years ago and developed unique features like partially webbed feet for walking on lava rock! Nearly extinct in the 1950s with only 30 birds remaining, captive breeding programs have brought their numbers back to over 3,000.
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