That is the sound of ducks. Are you picturing these birds fishing or floating on a nice lake somewhere? A normal reaction to be sure -- but these ducks are different. They live on a grape grower’s land in South Africa. The Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate is in Stellenbosch. And the ducks are employees of the winemaker.

那是鸭子的叫声。您是否在想象这些鸟儿在某处美丽的湖面上钓鱼或漂浮？可以肯定这是正常反应——但这些鸭子是不同的。他们住在南非葡萄种植者的土地上。 Vergenoegd Löw 酒庄位于斯泰伦博斯。鸭子是酿酒师的雇员。

About 500 white, black and brown Indian runner ducks make their home on the grounds. They hunt and eat insects and other animals that can damage grape vines. The birds help protect the plants naturally. This saves the winemaker from having to use poisonous chemicals against such pests in his vineyard. Corius Visser runs the land. “We call them the soldiers of the vineyards. They eat all the small insects so we don’t have to spray for any pests in the vineyards. They keep them pest-free. They are the caretakers.”

大约 500 只白色、黑色和棕色的印度跑鸭在这片土地上安家。他们捕食昆虫和其他会破坏葡萄藤的动物。鸟类有助于自然保护植物。这使酿酒师不必在他的葡萄园中使用有毒化学品来对付这些害虫。 Corius Visser 掌管这片土地。 “我们称他们为葡萄园的士兵。它们吃掉了所有的小昆虫，所以我们不必在葡萄园中喷洒任何害虫。他们让他们远离害虫。他们是看护人。”

The ducks are tall, which means they can reach up and eat insects on the vines above the ground. In addition, the people who run the vineyard use the waste from the ducks to make fertilizer, which helps the grapes grow.

鸭子很高，这意味着它们可以伸手去吃地上藤蔓上的昆虫。此外，经营葡萄园的人用鸭子的粪便制成肥料，帮助葡萄生长。

Merle Holdsworth was visiting the vineyard and saw the ducks. She praised their orderliness. “It’s amazing how they behave themselves, walk in a row, and it’s like they’re in the army,” she said.

Merle Holdsworth 在参观葡萄园时看到了鸭子。她称赞他们井然有序。 “他们的举止令人惊奇，他们排成一排，就像在军队里一样，”她说。

The ducks get up in the morning and go to the vines to eat the insects. At the end of the day, they go back to their home and eat some bird food provided by the winemaker. Yodell Scholtz works in the vineyard and takes care of the ducks. “It’s almost like raising your own children, so I enjoy it a lot,” he said.

鸭子们早上起床，到藤蔓上吃虫子。一天结束后，他们会回到家中，吃一些酿酒师提供的鸟食。 Yodell Scholtz 在葡萄园工作并照顾鸭子。 “这几乎就像抚养自己的孩子，所以我很享受，”他说。