Primitive koa finch Primitive koa finch The primitive koa finch ("Rhodacanthis litotes") is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It was endemic to Hawaii. Of the four species in the genus "Rhodacanthis", it and the scissor-billed koa finch became extinct before the arrival of the first Europeans to Hawaii in 1778. It is known as the ancestor of all koa finches. An adult primitive koa finch was slender and had a total length of about . There was probably a small distinct difference between the sexes. Based on fossils, it is known that the adult primitive koa finch had a slightly curved, thick bill.
ʻAnianiau Its call is a pair of notes, "tew-weet", while its song is a trill of "wee-see, wee-see, wee-see". Anianiau are found in mesic and wet forests at elevations above . The highest densities occur above . Dominant tree species in its habitat include koa ("Acacia koa"), ōhia lehua ("Metrosideros polymorpha"), ōlapa ("Cheirodendron trigynum"), and lapalapa ("C. platyphyllum"). The anianiau mainly feeds on nectar from the flowers of plants such as ōhia lehua ("Metrosideros polymorpha"), ōhelo ("Vaccinium" spp.), and alani ("Melicope" spp.). It will also take arthropods from trees, shrubs, or vines. The anianiau breeding season ranges from February to June.