# Is it true that when ducks quack, there is no echo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229 "2003-02-20T00:00:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/21 "2003-02-20T15:31:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by njufoic \* > \*\*A lot of these types of “facts” are being spread by none other than Snapple, which currently has various “weird yet true” items printed on their bottle caps. Most of the ones I’ve seen are actually true AFAIK, but some (such as the quack echo) are not. I guess they just harvested them from the net. > > -Andrew L \*\* Snapple isn’t the only one guilty of propagating such misinformation. There’s a show on Game Show Network called Cram. In one segment the contestants are read a list of facts which they are expected to remember aftrer getting a moment to rest (the contestants have been awake for the past 24 hours studying other information on which they are later tested). The infamous “a duck’s quack doesn’t echo” was mentioned. I just wanted to scream ,“No, No, NO!!! Not true! Not true!” Many of the facts that the contestants are given seem to have been gleaned straight from Internet-distributed “fact” lists and reek of the same questionable veracity. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/22 "2003-02-20T15:54:31Z")
> [@](#): > > The Snapple cap says that the elephant is the only mammal that can’t jump, IIRC. I’m fairly sure a whale or a manatee can’t jump. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/23 "2003-02-20T16:19:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yBeayf \* > I’m fairly sure a whale or a manatee can’t jump. It sure looks like [this whale](http://www.mauibound.com/photos_whale3.html) is jumping. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/24 "2003-02-20T16:45:35Z")
Stephen Hawking is a mammal. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/25 "2003-02-20T17:12:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by everton \* > \*\*What is it about these drive-by newbies that are fascinated by quacking ducks and then disappear without trace when they discover it’s all garbage? Have they got nothing else to say? Are they scared off by the “humourous” contributions their threads generate? Will we ever hear from **Neonfish07** again? \*\* Give the person a chance. According to the profile he/she is 15, so likely a high school sophmore at most. The perfect age to start the fight against ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![consolid8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@consolid8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/consolid8)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/26 "2003-02-20T17:39:44Z")
**No, but you are the first person to name a fictitious snail "Zippy."** A google search for zippy snail brings up several snails named zippy, and a slug, too. They aren’t ficticious, though, so you may be right. Gary Larsen would know for sure (My kid had a gerbil named zippy, but it never quacked so I can’t say if it’s echo could jump over my knee.) ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/27 "2003-02-20T18:15:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\*Give the person a chance. According to the profile he/she is 15, so likely a high school sophmore at most. The perfect age to start the fight against ignorance. \*\* Yeah, I agree, but I’m still intrigued – what is about this subject that scares people off the SDMB after they’ve raised it? I meant that welcome, by the way, **Neonfish07** – no pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Neonfish07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Neonfish07](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neonfish07)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/28 "2003-02-20T20:20:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by everton \* > **I’m still intrigued – what is about this subject that scares people off the SDMB after they’ve raised it?** I think its all the quack jokes. =] ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/29 "2003-02-20T20:32:36Z")
Good theory. Of course it helps to remember that there are plenty of geezers on these boards who are that bit closer to senility than you are and sometimes it shows ;). ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/30 "2003-02-20T21:54:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by everton \* > \*\*What is it about these drive-by newbies that are fascinated by quacking ducks and then disappear without trace when they discover it’s all garbage? Have they got nothing else to say? Are they scared off by the “humourous” contributions their threads generate? Will we ever hear from **Neonfish07** again? \*\* They duck in long enough to get the question answered then duck out again. Obviously they’re engaged in a little duck and cover. That or they’re ducking the issue. ALl those poor newbies, though. It’s tragic…almost Duckensian. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/31 "2003-02-20T22:13:33Z")
The last time that we went over the elephant thing, I seem to recall that the consensus was that sloths probably couldn’t jump, either. As for most of the **QUACK** QUACKquack[sub]quack[/sub] threads being drive-bys, that’s because most posters, period, are drive-bys. Over half of our registered members have posted one or fewer times. Take a look at Comments on Cecil’s Columns, especially: Most threads there are started by newbies. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/32 "2003-02-20T23:37:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*I always heard that the elephant was the only animal with knees that couldn’t jump. \*\* I remember hearing long ago that the elephant is the only animal that’s ever been taught to stand on its head. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/33 "2003-02-21T01:33:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by superfreakicus \* > \*\*larry bird’s a mammal. \*\* Bird? Mammal? Sorry, couldn’t resist pointing that out. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/34 "2003-02-21T02:21:46Z")
Having noticed you, **Laughing Lagomorph** , as the final poster to this thread, combined with the OP’s unusual version of a smiley, I was motivated to design one for you: =:·E ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229/35 "2003-02-21T03:28:51Z")
While all these urban myths about animals are being destroyed, one still remains true: Emus can’t walk backwards! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-when-ducks-quack-there-is-no-echo/156229.md?page=1)