# If it quacks like a duck...

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck/1136
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [April 5, 2000, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck/1136 "2000-04-05T13:24:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2000, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck/1136/1 "2000-04-05T13:24:00Z")

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It echoes.

Not that I would ever doubt Cecil, but I just want to confirm that I have indeed heard the echo of a duck’s quack.

At this time of year, the mallards on the river often come downtown to spend the night under parking lot trees. This morning when I got to work, there was a female mallard quacking it up in a courtyard between two of the buildings. Perfect acoustics!

I wonder what is the origin of the quacks\<\>echo legend, anyway?  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5\_071.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_071.html)

Your brain-in-a-jar,  
Myron

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Imbibo, ergo sum.

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### Author: ![Karen\_Too](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ce7236/32.png) [@Karen\_Too](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Too)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2000, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck/1136/2 "2000-04-05T15:42:00Z")

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## L.M. Boyd, the font of all misinformation.

-k-  
Karen Lingel, Physicist

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### Author: ![Karen\_Too](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ce7236/32.png) [@Karen\_Too](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Too)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2000, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck/1136/3 "2000-04-05T21:07:00Z")

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I forgot to mention that in the lastest L.M. Boyd column in the SF Chronicle, Boyd claims that owls, turkeys, and hawks don’t echo either.

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-k-  
Karen Lingel, Physicist
