“What does the Fox say?”

I stumbled on this via the Wired article which examined fox vocalisations from a few audio libraries and then suggested the Norwegian duo Ylvis might not be that far off. Seriously, how magnificent is that?!

Whatever the conicidence, their “What Does the Fox Say?” music video is well embedded in my skull, since last week. I may not be the only victim, I think several of my friends are falling like flies, for the video is a viral hit.

I nearly asked my students “What does the Fox say?” several times during their Elevator Pitch practical on Monday for no real reason. I tried it on Tekong-resident Cheng Puay and he was floored.

In the video, I especially like vocalising grandpa.

Here’s the list of proposed sounds from the video, thanks to canada.com:

“Gering-ding-ding-ding-ringerdingering”
“Wa-po-po-po-po-po-pow”
“Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho”
“Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff”
“Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow”
“Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow”
“A-hee-ahee ha-hee”
“A-oo-oo-oo-ooo”

The Wired article [“What Does the Fox Say? The Viral Music Video Isn’t Totally Wrong,” by Devon Maloney. Wired.com, 06 Sep 13] found sounds by foxes (three species, including the red fox) in sound libraries which sounded close to:

“Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow” (Vulpes vulpes, red fox)
“Wa-po-po-po-po-po-pow” (Vulpes lagopus, arctic fox)
“A-oo-oo-oo-ooo!” (Urocyon cinereoargenteus, common gray fox)

See also “What Sound Does A Fox Really Make?” By Dan Nosowitz. Popular Science, 05 Sep 2013. He suggests the red fox vocalisations to be “yow-wow-wow”, “ack-ack-ackawoo-ack”, and “YAAGGAGHHGHHHHHHAHHHH!”

Images below from and link to Wikipedia: