Shadow my female black runner is VERY loud. When I call her name she gets even louder lol. She lays nice big eggs and has been broody, so I know she will hatch some babies and be a good mommy
They are not louder than a rooster crowing. And truly, people really don't mind ducks like they do roosters. I think it's silly for folks in a city--with all the road noise, plane noise, people noise, music blaring, lawnmowers roaring, dogs barking, etc.--to complain about roosters either, but for some reason, folks just seem to *like* ducks. Most folks find the sound soothing--after all, a duck is something you go to a nice, quiet park to view.