How Australia Lost a War to Birds

When you think of war, you might picture battles between nations or struggles for territory. But in 1932, Australia fought a different kind of war - one against emus. These large, flightless birds were wreaking havoc on crops in Western Australia, leading the government to deploy soldiers armed with machine guns. What followed was a bizarre series of events that would go down in history as the Great Emu War - and victory was for the birds.

The Great Emu Uprising

The trouble began in the aftermath of World War I when Australian veterans were given land in Western Australia to farm. However, the land was less than ideal for agriculture, and the struggling farmers faced numerous challenges. Adding to their woes was the presence of emus - thousands of them. These huge birds, driven by drought and the need for food, migrated in large numbers to the Campion district, where they found plentiful wheat crops to feast upon.

The emus not only consumed the crops, but also trampled them, causing widespread destruction. Their presence was also problematic because they broke through fences, creating openings that allowed other pests, like rabbits, to enter and cause even more damage. With the economic strain of the Great Depression weighing heavily on the farmers, the emus’ invasion was the last straw.

The Military’s Unlikely Mission

Desperate for a solution, the farmers turned to the government for help. The Australian Minister for Defense, George Pearce, decided to take action. He believed that deploying soldiers to deal with the emus would show that the government was serious about addressing the concerns of war veterans who were struggling to make a living on the land.

Thus, in November 1932, a small group of soldiers from the Royal Australian Artillery was sent to the Campion district. The team, led by Major G.P.W. Meredith, was armed with two Lewis light machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Their mission: to cull the emu population and save the farmers’ crops.

Birds of War

On Nov. 2, the operation commenced. However, the soldiers quickly discovered that their plan was not as foolproof as they had hoped. The emus, rather than standing still like sitting ducks, scattered at the first sign of trouble. The birds’ speed and agility made them difficult targets, and the soldiers found it nearly impossible to hit them with their machine guns.

A few days later, the soldiers attempted a new strategy: ambushing the emus at a water source where they gathered in large numbers. But once again, the operation was a failure. One of the machine guns jammed, and only a handful of birds were killed before the emus dispersed.

As the days went on, it became clear that the emus were not going to be easily defeated. The birds demonstrated an impressive ability to withstand bullets, with some continuing to run even after being shot. Major Meredith was quoted as saying that the emus could “face machine guns with the invulnerability of tanks.” The soldiers were outmatched by the birds’ speed, resilience, and sheer numbers.

The Emu Aftermath

After several weeks of frustration and failure, the government decided to call off the operation. By the time the soldiers withdrew in December 1932, they had killed fewer than 1,000 emus - far short of the 20,000 that were estimated to be in the area. And while 2,500 would later die from injuries - a number which is still disputed - the “war” had cost thousands of rounds of ammunition and countless hours, with little to show for it. The emus, it seemed, had won.

In the years that followed, the government tried other methods to control the emu population, including offering bounties to hunters. However, these efforts also met with limited success. Eventually, the focus shifted to constructing fences to keep the emus out of farming areas, though this too was controversial and had its own set of problems.

The Great Emu War of 1932 remains a curious chapter in Australian history. What began as a serious attempt to protect crops from a persistent pest ended in what can only be described as a defeat for the Australian military. The emus’ victory in this “war” serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of nature and the often-unintended consequences of human intervention. Today, the Emu War is remembered as a lesson in humility and the importance of understanding the natural world before attempting to control it.

References: Emu War | The Emu War of 1932: how these flightless birds defeated the Australian military