ʻAkohekohe ʻAkohekohe The akohekohe (Palmeria dolei) or crested honeycreeper is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It is endemic to the island of Maui in Hawaii. Its natural habitat is wet forests dominated by "koa" ("Acacia koa") and "ōhia lehua" ("Metrosideros polymorpha") on the windward side of Haleakalā at elevations of . It is the largest honeycreeper on the island at in length. The adults are a glossy black with whitish feathers and stripes going down its side. The underparts are whitish black while the top has orange feathers sticking from wings. The feathers behind the eyes are a reddish color, and
Primitive koa finch Primitive koa finch fossils have been found on Maui and Oahu. It is believed that it inhabited lowland dry forests and savannas, where dominant plant species included "ka palupalu o kanaloa" ("Kanaloa kahoolawensis"), "aalii" ("Dodonaea viscosa"), "loulu" ("Pritchardia" spp.), and "koaia" ("Acacia koaia"). Unlike other species of "Rhodacanthis", "koa" ("Acacia koa") was not present in significant numbers in its habitat. The primitive koa finch was a granivore, with a bill adapted to eat the hard seeds and pods of legumes, especially "ka palupalu o kanaloa" ("Kanaloa kahoolawensis") and "koaia" ("Acacia koaia"). It may have also taken caterpillars and "aalii" ("Dodonaea