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
KOA (AM) 1927, increased to 12,500 watts. KOA became an NBC affiliate in 1929, and the network took over operation of the station from GE shortly thereafter. On July 7, 1934, power was raised to the current level of 50,000 watts. In 1941, NBC, which had been operating the KOA and KGO in San Francisco for GE since October 1, 1929, also took over ownership of the stations. NBC continued to own KOA until June 1953 when it sold the station to Metropolitan Television Company, whose principal stockholder was Bob Hope. GE repurchased the station in 1968 and continued to own it