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| Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis) |
So, here are the facts:
- They have another name apart from the Hawaiian Goose. Don't get confused if you hear them called Nene Geese as this is technically their official name.
- They are a VULNERABLE species meaning that they probably won't become extinct but there is a small risk. It's the same as an Amber Status.
- My alliteration of these geese being honoured refers to the Nene goose being the state bird of Hawaii. It is the rarest of the American State birds.
- They can range from 56cm to 71cm and their weight can range from about 2.2kg in Males to 1.9kg in Females.
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| With their lovely goslings |
- They used to breed on all of the Hawaiian Islands but now they only breed on Hawaiʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and KauaʻI.
- They are also found from Sea Level all the way up to 2,400 metres (7,900 feet).
- Weirdly, even though they are only a Vulnerable species, they are the sixth most endangered water bird in the world.
- They are the only species of goose that is only naturally found on islands rather than on a continent.
- As they are isolated on islands and are called sedentary as they don't move or migrate much and have only been known to do this if they have run out of food.
- They are under threat from hunts, egg collectors, mongooses, cats, dogs, pigs and rats. Road kill, though was the biggest danger from 1989 to 1999.
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| All the family together. |
- Their diet is leaves, berries and flowers of grasses, herbs and shrubs.
- There are fossil records of the geese which have been found all over the islands. Scientists have analysed these remains and found that they have evolved from Canada Geese over the last 500,000 years.
Here are some links to some more information:
Hope you enjoyed,
Z.
Lovely photos! The babies are so cute! - Tasha
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