Does a Duck’s Quack Echo
Will a duck’s quack echo?
It’s been a part of folklore for as long as many of us can remember. We learned it as kids from our crazy uncle or our dad’s hunting buddy. There was never any scientific proof offered, just an unapologetic statement: “I’ve never heard a duck’s quack echo. The quack sound is too flat to echo”. The TV show Mythbusters even did a whole segment on the topic, using a live duck and trying to get it to quack in an echo-friendly environment. (Spoiler: they were not successful at making the duck quack on command)
The TV show Mythbusters even did a whole segment on the topic, using a live duck and trying to get it to quack in an echo-friendly environment. (Spoiler: they were not successful at making the duck quack on command)
Link to Mythbusters Wikipedia Article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2003_season)
Well, it seems we can put this myth to bed once and for all. Just looking at the science behind it, there’s no chance it is true. A duck’s quack is a sound wave, and any wave can be reflected, so therefore a duck’s quack will echo.
Well then, why do we never hear a duck’s quack echo?
Is it because ducks mostly hang out in open areas such as marshes and lakes, where an echo is highly unlikely? It is because the sound profile of their quack reflects less than other sounds, so the echo is much quieter and harder to detect with the human ear? Does the Mythbusters result make sense, that the quack sound profile “swallows” the echo, making it very hard to decipher? These theories are hard to prove, but one thing is for sure, the quack will echo.
So, don’t worry about hearing a quack echo down the hallway of your house while practicing with your new duck call . There’s nothing wrong with the sound coming out of your call, it’s just wave propagation working correctly.
Reference Article from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/09/08/duck.quack/index.html
Pan Seared Snow Goose Breast with Peppers and Onions
Adapted from: http://www.ducks.org/hunting/recipes/light-goose-recipes
Spring conservation snow goose season is upon us! With liberal limits, unplugged shotguns, and electronic calling, more and more people are making piles of white geese every spring. Somehow, the snow goose (aka Sky Carp) has gotten a bad rap when it comes to table fare. This is largely undeserved, and this recipe proves it. Try this out and let us know what you think. Have other recipes for snow goose? Share them with us.
pan seared snow goose with peppers and onions
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless snow goose breast halves, skin removed
- Olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste (I substituted Tony Chacere’s)
Slice goose breasts across the grain of the meat, then cube the meat. Combine Worcestershire, garlic salt, and enough olive oil to cover the meat in a bowl or zip top bag. Add goose, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Put enough olive oil in a skillet to barely coat the bottom. I originally added too much oil, forgetting the peppers and onions will drain and create more juices in the skillet. Add onion, garlic, and peppers to skillet. Cook until onions are lightly browned. Remove goose from marinade and drain well. Discard marinade. Add goose and stir fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Try to not cook the goose past medium rare, as it will get tough. When goose is medium rare, stir in tomato and season to taste with salt, pepper, or other seasoning. Serve over rice.
If you like spicy food, you can add 1 teaspoon of Tabasco to the marinade and 2 minced jalapenos to the vegetables. I left this out since I enjoy heat, but my wife and young kids definitely do not!
Preparation tips:
- Be sure and slice the goose against the grain of the meat. Otherwise, the fibers of the meat will draw up during cooking and make for really tough bites.
- When slicing the onion, I first sliced it so that I had rings of onion, like you normally use on a hamburger. Then I sliced those rings in half.
- Keep the vegetables coarsely chopped, with pieces at least as big as a quarter. Keeping the vegetables bigger enables them to cook and stay somewhat crispy.