What kind of animal may feed on Chamaedorea fruits like this?

[Phoenikakias]

Take in to consideration please that there are several patrolling semi-feral cats around. Could it be an insect, bat or a small bird? In last case I have in mind of a robin coming over regularly to or even having nested somewhere in my garden. But fruiting stalk hangs out quite close to the ground.  It must be a very daring bird, if it is a bird.

[Than]

Cats are diurnal so they sleep when birds are most active (my cat sleeps non-stop from 10am to 6pm). 

I don't know what kind of animals are in your area, but could it be foxes or badgers? We have loads of them here. Also ferrets. Perhaps they are not as abundant in Attica; the many creeks here help sustain them. 

[Harry’s Palms]

It could be that rodents like the fruit . I don’t have any trouble with the seeds hanging off my palms up here in the gardens . My neighbor’s cat is constantly patrolling my yard  Down on the hill , squirrels will eat the Butia fruit as soon as it ripens . I have observed it from up on our deck. They must be clever little thieves to navigate the armed petiole. Harry

[Darold Petty]

My Rhapalostylis and Hedyscepe seeds are eaten by Rattus rattus.  

[Phoenikakias]

11 minutes ago, Darold Petty said:

My Rhapalostylis and Hedyscepe seeds are eaten by Rattus rattus.  

Do rats in your garden eat the pulp leaving kernel still attached to the stalk, or do they take away whole fruit?

[Darold Petty]

The Rhopalostyllis fruits are too hard to consume when the epicarp is fully red.  At first they would consume only the epicarp and mesocarp.  However, they have now learned to consume the entire seed while it is immature, and still somewhat soft.

  Hedyscepe seed is not bothered until the similar point of development, when the seed starts to color from green to red.  The rats consume the entire seed.  Seeds that may take two years to grow to maturity are destroyed in just a few evenings.  If I want to harvest Hedyscepe seed I must enclose the spadix with wire mesh. 

  Here is the Hedyscepe damage, note that they spurn the outer husk and devour the endosperm.  

[Phoenikakias]

5 hours ago, Than said:

Cats are diurnal so they sleep when birds are most active (my cat sleeps non-stop from 10am to 6pm). 

I don't know what kind of animals are in your area, but could it be foxes or badgers? We have loads of them here. Also ferrets. Perhaps they are not as abundant in Attica; the many creeks here help sustain them. 

Apparently local semi-feral cats suffer from insomnia! Do you observe exact time of scene?

[Than]

Poor kittens.. I also have insomnia sometimes so I know it sucks.

So it must be a nocturnal animal then... fox, badgers, jackals..?

[happypalms]

It’s a hungry little critter whatever it is! Rats?

[Phoenikakias]

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

It’s a hungry little critter whatever it is! Rats?

They have eaten all pulp around the seed and left the naked seeds still attached on the rachilae! What kind of rat is able to act this way and risk its life with so many cats around? I have seen in the past rats stealing figs and almonds, but they were carrying their food hastily to their nest. 

[Chester B]

American Robins eat Chamaedorea seeds once they start changing color.

[Tomas]

Sometimes I can see slime, so slugs I suppose 

[gyuseppe]

On 1/12/2026 at 12:46 PM, happypalms said:

It’s a hungry little critter whatever it is! Rats?

here and full of blackbirds