Strange sight

[Morbo]

Hello everyone

I was hoping someone may be able to demystify this one for me. I was enjoying a walk through the park at Chermside QLD. Watching some Rainbow Lorikeets doing what they do in the trees. I spotted a bizarre shaped hole in the tree. It looks as though a bird or some other animal has been trying to dig into the tree.

I've attached photos. Does anyone know which animal does this? Maybe more importantly... for what purpose?

Cheers.

[tasadam]

No idea, but my first guess is a grub of some sort.
How high off the ground is it?

[Major Icehole]

I have watched a mating pair of cockatoos tearing chunks out of trees like this. That would be my guess.

[tasadam]

I have watched a mating pair of cockatoos tearing chunks out of trees like this. That would be my guess.

Were they hanging upside down at the time? That would explain the heart shape

[Pteropus]

...I was hoping someone may be able to demystify this one for me. I was enjoying a walk through the park at Chermside QLD. Watching some Rainbow Lorikeets doing what they do in the trees. I spotted a bizarre shaped hole in the tree. It looks as though a bird or some other animal has been trying to dig into the tree.

I've attached photos. Does anyone know which animal does this? Maybe more importantly... for what purpose?

I have watched a mating pair of cockatoos tearing chunks out of trees like this. That would be my guess.

The damage does look like it could be from cockatoos, who will tear into the bark to get at the longicorn beatle larvae (see http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_12390.htm and http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane ... index.html). The longicorn larvae are large wood-boring grubs and the cockatoos love to eat them.

[Morbo]

Cockatoos tearing off the bark to eat the larvae inside. That would be a logical conclusion. Thanks for the help.