# Let's Make a Chess Set....of Birds **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 16, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755 "2018-01-16T15:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/21 "2018-01-17T00:23:15Z")
Good call on the cassowary! You are my new knight! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/22 "2018-01-17T01:38:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I would use eggs for pawns - each standing in a little eggcup. That’s an eggs-ellent suggestion! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/23 "2018-01-17T02:44:59Z")
Bird species exist with the names Kingbird, Queen Carola Parotla, Red bishop, Kinghtengale, and Rook. But Pawn remains elusive. But many birds names are e-pawn-ymous. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/24 "2018-01-17T03:02:50Z")
I was gonna post in this thread but all the birds I was gonna use have all been mentioned and are paired with the piece I was going to pair them to. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/25 "2018-01-17T03:26:15Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > … Queen: [Harpy Eagle.](https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/D3AE/production/_97009145_170768240.jpg) Female is the largest and most powerful bird of prey in the world. … Really, **Colibri**? What bird can move readily in any direction and is mean as hell, gram for gram? That bird should be Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/26 "2018-01-17T04:18:23Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > The king isn’t all that powerful in chess though – at least, it has a very limited range. I suggest a peacock. Another bird I was going to suggest was the [King Vulture.](http://bioexpedition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/King_Vulture_Sarcoramphus_Papa_600.jpg) Spectacular-looking, but it doesn’t have talons and can’t kill on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/27 "2018-01-17T04:20:36Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Really, **Colibri**? What bird can move readily in any direction and is mean as hell, gram for gram? That bird should be Queen. Maybe so, but it would be difficult to pick up and move the piece without tweezers.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/28 "2018-01-17T04:38:24Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Maybe so, but it would be difficult to pick up and move the piece without tweezers.🙂 You are assuming that the pieces would be to life-scale. Normal chess pieces are not to life-scale (when is a guy on a horse 7/8[sup]ths[/sup] the height of a castle turret?) I think you could tweak the scale to work – or set the bird on a tall perch of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/29 "2018-01-17T13:39:25Z")
My suggestion for pawn is the ubiquitous LBB. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/30 "2018-01-17T13:41:48Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > You are assuming that the pieces would be to life-scale. That was what is commonly known as a joke.😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/31 "2018-01-17T13:51:17Z")
I’m thinking of some combinations now, like the knight could be a Dookie bird riding on a turtle BC style. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/32 "2018-01-17T14:01:34Z")
I have to bring the Emperor Penguin back as King of choice as it is flightless and does not move far, but is powerful, and is stately dressed much better fit for the Chess King then the Eagle. Eagle perhaps as queen, though we normally assume male for a eagle, but the power, majesty and range, eagle fits well here. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/33 "2018-01-17T16:57:23Z")
My updated list: King: Emperor Penguin Queen: Swan Bishops: Peregrine Falcon Knight: Cassowary Rooks: Rooks (I don’t like it, but I’m being overruled) Pawns: Chickens ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/34 "2018-01-17T18:36:40Z")
I’d consider the change from Penguin to Peacock for the King. Yeah, with the Penguin you’ve got the waddling around impotently like the King does. But that’s not what a Penguin is for. A Penguin is for swimming, and when they’re swimming they aren’t comical impotent waddlers, they’re rock stars. Peacock is perfect for the king. Vain, useless, pretty, can’t fly very well, walks around slowly. Much better fit. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/35 "2018-01-17T18:43:40Z")
For humor’s sake, [cardinals](https://google.com/search?q=catholic+cardinal&tbm=isch) should be the [bishops](https://google.com/search?q=catholic+bishop&tbm=isch). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/36 "2018-01-17T19:14:32Z")
I could get down with using a peacock as the king. Thoughts from the crowd? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/37 "2018-01-17T19:20:13Z")
Kings are useful in the endgame? ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/38 "2018-01-17T23:04:36Z")
When you decide on your final pieces be sure to check out Thingiverse which is a online library of free models that can be 3d printed. There are some beautiful swans on there and some nice falcons. Some of the more obscure birds you may be better off finding a pewter one or some other nice piece then scanning it. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/39 "2018-01-17T23:53:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I would use eggs for pawns - each standing in a little eggcup. > [@Ignotus](#): > > That’s a really clever idea! Nobody knows beforehand what it will hatch into when it reaches the opposite side! I think this is absolutely brilliant. Besides, pawns traditionally have a round knob on top which can be construed as an egg. The plinth the knob rests on could even be thought of as a fancy eggcup. If not eggs, I like _ **Sailboat’s** _ idea of using pigeons. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/40 "2018-01-18T00:00:50Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Kings are useful in the endgame? You can’t have an endgame without one!🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755.md?page=3)