Newly-released young nene take off on their first flight as wild birds after being released at the edge of the Kapaia Reservoir on Kaua‘i. JAN TENBRUGGENCATE | Advertiser Photo

Most of the three-month-old youngsters landed on clear ground after a couple of swooping flights over the reservoir.

"They'll be swimming across soon," said Thomas Kaiakapu, wildlife biologist with the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

Populations of nene are roughly stable on other islands where they exist, but the Kaua'i population is growing.

"We have 700 to 800 on the island right now," Kaiakapu said.

The Kapaia Reservoir nene are from chicks born at Kaua'i Lagoons. They were collected from there and raised in pens, eventually being held for the past several weeks in a large pen on a lawn at the reservoir's edge.

Wildlife officials hope the birds have become comfortable with the area and will develop a growing population around the water.

"If we release them at a young age, they can imprint on an area," Kaiakapu said.

Grove Farm has agreed to mow and maintain eight acres as nene habitat.

Nene have a number of predators, including pigs, dogs, cats and rats, but mongooses are believed to be among the most significant threats, Kaiakapu said. And Kaua'i has no mongoose.