This genus was created in 1892 by Alfred Newton in an article published by the journal Nature[1] on the basis of the ʻula-ʻai-hawane, which was named Fringilla anna by Sanford B. Dole in 1879.

The culmen was arched, and the maxilla overlapped the mandible at the base.

The wings were large and the tail was moderate with pointed rectrices.

[2] The ʻula-ʻai-hawane, which was last seen in 1892, is the only species that survived into historic times, three others Ciridops cf.

from Oahu, and the stout-legged finch (Ciridops tenax) from Kauai are only known from subfossil remains found in late quaternary deposits.