Greater koa finch and maximum growth of a single species of koa finch. The greater koa finch was a granivore, preferring the pods and seeds of koa ("Acacia koa"). It was also observed eating caterpillars and aalii ("Dodonaea viscosa") seeds. The last confirmed sighting was in 1896, although there were sporadic later reports. Like its close relative the lesser koa finch, this bird lived in small stretches of mesic forest on the Big Island of Hawaii. These forests were dominated by its preferred food source, koa ("Acacia koa"), and were logged and replaced with pasture beginning in 1850. Grazing by cattle inhibited the
Wahiawa Botanical Garden The property was transferred to Honolulu in 1950, and opened as a botanical garden in 1957. It is open seven days a week, from 9am to 4 pm. The Garden's collections include: Blue Ginger ("Dichorisandra thyrsiflora"), Hāpuu ii ("Cibotium chamissoi"), Koa ("Acacia koa"), Blue Jacaranda ("Jacaranda mimosifolia"), "Nageia nagi", "Angiopteris evecta", Shaving Brush Tree ("Pseudobombax ellipticum"), Autograph Tree ("Clusia rosea"), Nutmeg ("Myristica fragrans"), Allspice ("Pimenta dioica"), Travellers' Palm ("Ravenala madagascariensis"), "Chrysophyllum oliviforme", Common Screwpine ("Pandanus utilis"), "Parkia javanica", Guanacaste ("Enterolobium cyclocarpum"), Candle Tree ("Parmentiera cereifera"), Elephant Apple ("Dillenia indica"), Moreton Bay Fig ("Ficus macrophylla"), Queensland Kauri ("Agathis robusta"), "Brownea macrophylla",