A common question that people often have is, “Why doesn’t a duck’s quack echo?” The answer is quite simple: a duck’s quack has an echo. It echoes off the typical wall thickness. This is because higher frequency consonants have the highest energy, above 2000 Hz. These sounds are reflected back into the room, while lower frequency vowels pass right through the wall.
In an attempt to discover the reason for the problem, scientists conducted experiments with a farmyard duck named Daisy. The duck was captured on film and then moved to an acoustic chamber. The data was then used to simulate the Royal Albert Hall, a cathedral choir, and even the sound of a duck flying past a cliff face. Ultimately, they found that the myth was unfounded.
While there are some species that migrate, most live in the same place all year. As such, they can adapt their diets to what is available in the area at the time. Many species are even omnivores, eating grass and bugs. Their bills are designed to aid them in foraging. They have hard points on the ends that dig into the ground. In addition to their bill, they have comb-like sides that allow water to drain out.
