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[00:00.43] That is the sound of ducks.

[00:03.89] Are you picturing these birds fishing or floating on a nice lake somewhere?

[00:11.59] A normal reaction to be sure -- but these ducks are different.

[00:18.23] They live on a grape grower’s land in South Africa.

[00:23.02] The Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate is in Stellenbosch.

[00:28.60] And the ducks are employees of the winemaker.

[00:33.64] About 500 white, black and brown Indian runner ducks make their home on the grounds.

[00:42.93] They hunt and eat insects and other animals that can damage grape vines.

[00:49.31] The birds help protect the plants naturally.

[00:54.10] This saves the winemaker from having to use poisonous chemicals against such pests in his vineyard.

[01:04.45] Corius Visser runs the land.

[01:07.91] “We call them the soldiers of the vineyards.

[01:10.56] They eat all the small insects so we don’t have to spray for any pests in the vineyards. They keep them pest-free.

[01:18.79] They are the caretakers.”

[01:20.92] The ducks are tall, which means they can reach up and eat insects on the vines above the ground.

[01:28.89] In addition, the people who run the vineyard use the waste from the ducks to make fertilizer, which helps the grapes grow.

[01:39.78] Merle Holdsworth was visiting the vineyard and saw the ducks. She praised their orderliness.

[01:49.35] “It’s amazing how they behave themselves, walk in a row, and it’s like they’re in the army,” she said.

[01:58.90] The ducks get up in the morning and go to the vines to eat the insects.

[02:04.75] At the end of the day, they go back to their home and eat some bird food provided by the winemaker.

[02:12.71] Yodell Scholtz works in the vineyard and takes care of the ducks.

[02:18.03] “It’s almost like raising your own children, so I enjoy it a lot,” he said.