What is The Duck Pond?
The Duck Pond is a small, relaxing web toy: a live pond with a flock of mallards going about their day. There are three hens, two drakes and two broods of ducklings, swimming, calling and reacting to each other.
There are no recordings. Every quack is synthesized as it happens, and you hear it from where you stand on the bank, so ducks farther away sound farther away. You can throw peas to bring them over, switch on headphone mode for spatial sound, and pause at any time.
It was shared on Hacker News in October 2026 as a high-quality duck audio synthesizer and became a small viral hit.
Main Features
- A live flock of hens, drakes and ducklings
- Every quack synthesized in real time, no recordings
- Sound placed by distance from where you stand
- Headphone mode for spatial audio
- Throw peas to feed the ducks
- Keyboard shortcuts: P for peas, H for headphones, space to pause
How to Get Started with The Duck Pond
- Open The Duck Pond in your browser.
- Tick "I'm wearing headphones" if you are, then press Listen.
- Watch and listen to the ducks.
- Press P or the button to throw peas.
- Press space to pause.
The Duck Pond Pricing
The Duck Pond is free in your browser, with no account.
Who Should Use It?
- Anyone who needs a calm minute
- People who love ducks
- Sound designers curious about real-time audio synthesis
- Fans of small, quirky web toys
The Duck Pond Alternatives
- A Soft Murmurmix calming ambient sounds
- Orb.Farma tiny aquatic ecosystem in your browser
- Blob Operamake blobs sing opera
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Duck Pond free?
Yes. It is free in your browser, with no account.
Are the duck sounds recorded?
No. Every quack is synthesized as it happens and placed by how far the duck is from you.
How do I feed the ducks?
Press P or the Throw peas button to toss peas into the pond.
Do I need headphones for The Duck Pond?
No, but headphone mode makes the sound spatial, so you can hear where each duck is.