Giant Grosbeak
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| King Kong Grosbeak | ||||||||||||||
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| Chloridops regiskongi |
The Giant Grosbeak, or Chloridops regiskongi, is the largest of the three Hawaiian Grosbeaks ever to have existed. It was eleven inches long and was one of the largest Hawaiian honeycreepers in the world. It was probably one of the first birds to go extinct in the islands when the first people arrived.
[edit] Description & Diet
It probably just a larger form of the Kona Grosbeak. It had greenish feathers on its wings and had cream colored feathers on its belly and on the top of its head. Just like its relitives it should have been eating the fruits on the Sandal Wood Tree, accidentally spreading its seeds where ever it went.
[edit] Extinction
It was killed off when it perhaps starved, a bird of its size would need more food to sustain its self then its two smaller cousins. Its numbers fell when its favorite trees were cut down for farm land, and it starved. Even this drop of food wasn't the last killing bullet. Invasive pests came and ate the birds and their eggs right from the trees. We do not know if they were used if feather weaving, but if it was it woul have also led to the cotribution of its extinction.
