What is the Frequency of a Female Duck's Quack?

[timejim]

I recorded the sound of a Duck quack (kwack), then, using my frequency meter I was able to determine that the duck quacked at 479 Hertz, for this particular Duck. I am thinking of trying to determine the frequency of a Geese "honk" next. Stay tuned.

 

[Andy]

u ahve way too much time on your hands! but its very interesting none the less.

 

[Njorl]

I would think that a duck's quack would have a very noisy signature. I bet the 479 hertz is just the largest component. Can you filter it out and repeat the measurement?

Njorl

 

[Monique]

Do female Ducks quack at a higher frequency?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Originally posted by Monique
Do female Ducks quack at a higher frequency?

Only if you pull their tail

timejim,
Yes, our quack is made up of many frequencies. You can actually hear this since the duck does not produce a perfect tone. Listen to a 479 Hz tone, say using a tone generator chip or a 555 timer from Radio Shack; this sounds nothing like our duck...even if modulated in a quacking manner.

You could determine the dominate frequencies with the right equipment; you might consider a tuned, resonant circuit to check for the strength of each frequency - really the sound version of a radio which selects specific frequencies in the radio part of the EM spectrum. Your frequency meter is likely showing the RMS average of all frequencies present; with the dominant frequency(s) being the largest contributor(s).

 

[one_raven]

Then you can let us know if they really do or do not echo.
If not, you can figure out why.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Originally posted by one_raven
Then you can let us know if they really do or do not echo.
If not, you can figure out why.

Originally brought to us by Phobos:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/09/08/duck.quack/index.html

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
Originally brought to us by Phobos:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/09/08/duck.quack/index.html

Oh well.
There goes THAT Nobel Prize.
I was trying to help.

Get back to us when you are finished with your goose.

 

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Originally posted by timejim
I recorded the sound of a Duck quack (kwack), then, using my frequency meter I was able to determine that the duck quacked at 479 Hertz, for this particular Duck. I am thinking of trying to determine the frequency of a Geese "honk" next. Stay tuned.

just give me the sound file. I'll post the FFT for everybody...

 

[timejim]

Originally posted by Monique
Do female Ducks quack at a higher frequency?

They don't quack unless the male duck gives them "quacking" permission! Har har har.