Animals

Nēnē enjoying the Sunset at Haleakalā

Photo by: Andrei Stanescu

 

 

The Hawaiian Islands sit isolated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As one of the most geographically isolated landmasses in the world, Hawai'i is full of unique species. The journey to the islands being such a vast distance limited which species were able to make it out. Most native animal species in the Hawaiian Archipelago are descendants of those that were able to fly here, such as birds, bats and insects; those light enough to be carried by birds, such as snails, some insects and spiders; and those blown here or washed ashore. Their descendents survived and reproduced to eventually inhabit the islands today. Many of these species adapted into unique species that are now endemic, found nowhere else in the world.

Haleakalā is home to several native birds, such as the nēnē (Hawaiian Goose), the 'ua'u (Hawaiian Petrel), and 6 native Native Hawaiian Forest Birds.

For a guide to the summit birds, view the Birds of the Summit District.