On November 19, a French court in the small town of Dax ruled that the flock of ducks and geese kept by a retired farmer (above) may continue living their noisy lives.

The court hearing was based on a noise complaint by Dominique Douthe’s neighbour, who claimed that the noise exceeded permissible levels, and did not allow her to sleep well.

“The ducks have won,” Douthe told Reuters, adding that “I’m very happy because I do not want to slaughter my ducks. The video above shows the flock of up to 60 birds trotting about, swimming, and having what looks like a good time for a bunch of birds that love to quack. Douthe is also seen in the video, explaining that “This is the noise of the countryside.”

The win for small-town animals is not a first in French courts, it seems. According to reports, a court ruling in September allowed a rooster named Maurice to continue crowing at dawn, despite complaints from neighbors who had moved in from the city.