Koa-Finch

Rhodacanthis is an extinct genus of finches in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanidinae. All four species were endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Members of this genus were granivores, with bills adapted to the seeds and pods of legumes. The two species that became extinct in the 1890s, R. flaviceps and R. palmeri, inhabited upper elevation mesic forests dominated by koa (Acacia koa) on the island of Hawaii. Both were large birds; R. flaviceps measured 19 cm, while R. palmeri was 23 cm in length. The combination of a giant bill with brightly-colored plumage (yellow for R. flaviceps, orange for R. palmeri) gave the males a very striking appearance. Koa seeds were the preferred food for the two species, but caterpillars were taken if necessary. The two prehistoric species, R. forfex and R. litotes, were denizens of more lowland tropical dry forests and shrublands on Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. It is speculated that koaia (Acacia koaia) was an important food source for both species, as their range did not overlap with that of koa. Kanaloa (Kanaloa spp.) pods and aalii (Dodonaea viscosa) berries were probably also eaten in addition to the occasional caterpillar.

Species

 * Rhodacanthis flaviceps Rothschild, 1892 - Lesser Koa-Finch (extinct, 1891)
 * Rhodacanthis forfex James & Olson, 2005 - Scissor-billed Koa-finch (prehistoric)
 * Rhodacanthis litotes James & Olson, 2005 - Primitive Koa-finch (prehistoric)
 * Rhodacanthis palmeri Rothschild, 1892 - Greater Koa-Finch (extinct, 1896)