Bird Taxidermy Pricing Calculator: Turkey, Duck, and Upland Bird Rates

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

Bird taxidermy covers more ground than almost any other category. You're looking at turkey fans, full-body turkeys, duck mounts, geese, pheasants, quail, woodcocks, and a dozen other upland and migratory species. Each one has different labor requirements, different form costs, and different levels of complexity.

The consistent principle is that full-body bird mounts require three to five times more labor than fan or tail mounts. If your pricing doesn't reflect that difference, you're losing money every time a full-body bird crosses your bench.

Here's how to build profitable pricing for each major bird category.

TL;DR

Price multi-bird pieces by totaling the individual bird costs and adding 15 to 25 percent for the habitat and composition work.
For turkey fans: add form, materials, 2 to 3 hours of labor, and overhead.
For full-body turkey: add form ($75 to $130), materials ($45 to $90), 12 to 18 hours of labor at your hourly rate, and overhead.
For ducks: add form ($30 to $65), materials ($40 to $80), 6 to 12 hours of labor, and overhead.
Add a habitat and composition premium of 15 to 25 percent for the additional work of building a unified piece.
consistent principle is that full-body bird mounts require three to five times more labor than fan or tail mounts.

Turkey Fan and Tail Mounts

Turkey fan mounts are among the most accessible bird mounts for customers and among the simpler mounts to produce. But "simpler" doesn't mean cheap to produce.

Costs for Turkey Fan Mounts

Fan mount form or backing board: $15 to $30
Finishing and preservation materials: $10 to $20
Hardware for wall mount: $5 to $10
Labor: 2 to 3 hours at $20 to $25/hr = $40 to $75

Total cost: $70 to $135

With overhead and margin: minimum profitable price $120 to $175

Market rates for turkey fan mounts in most areas run $95 to $175. Shops at the low end are working close to cost.

Full-Body Turkey Mounts

Full-body turkey mounts are a different calculation entirely. They're one of the most commonly underpriced mounts in taxidermy, and turkey full-body mounts that are underpriced represent one of the most common taxidermy losses.

Costs for Full-Body Turkey Mounts

Form and materials:

Full-body turkey form: $75 to $130 depending on pose
Glass eyes: $8 to $14
Adhesives, fillers, finishing compounds: $20 to $35
Habitat or base: $25 to $55

Labor:

Full-body turkey mounts require 12 to 18 hours of production time. This is where the cost really stacks up.

At $25/hr:

12 hours: $300
15 hours: $375
18 hours: $450

Total cost (15 hrs at $25/hr): approximately $650 to $750 with overhead

Minimum profitable price: $750 to $950 for full-body turkey

Market rates for full-body turkey mounts run $400 to $800 in most markets. Many shops are underpriced for this mount type. Especially when they're under $550 to $600.

Duck Mounts (Full-Body)

Full-body duck mounts are the workhorse of migratory bird taxidermy. Mallards, teal, pintail, wood ducks. Each species has slightly different complexity but a similar production framework.

Costs for Duck Full-Body Mounts

Form and materials:

Duck form: $30 to $65 depending on species and pose
Glass eyes: $5 to $10
Finishing materials: $15 to $25
Habitat or driftwood base (if included): $20 to $45

Labor:

Full-body ducks take 6 to 12 hours depending on species complexity and feather detail. Drakes in breeding plumage take longer than hens.

At $25/hr:

6 hours: $150
9 hours: $225
12 hours: $300

Total cost (8 hrs at $25/hr with overhead): $350 to $480

Minimum profitable price: $400 to $550 per duck

Pricing a pair of ducks is not simply double. Setup, habitat, and mounting time shared across two birds provides some efficiency. A pair might price at 1.7x to 1.9x a single bird, not 2x.

Upland Birds: Pheasant, Grouse, Quail

Upland species vary in size and complexity. Pheasant are larger and more complex. Quail are small but require detailed work. Grouse and woodcock fall in between.

Estimated pricing ranges:

Pheasant (full-body): $375 to $600
Grouse or woodcock (full-body): $275 to $450
Quail (full-body): $225 to $375

These ranges reflect the labor and materials difference between a large, detailed pheasant and a smaller upland species.

Matched Pairs and Multiple-Bird Habitat Pieces

Matched pairs or multi-bird habitat mounts carry a premium for the artistic and logistical complexity. You're managing multiple specimens simultaneously, building or sourcing a larger habitat, and creating a composition that works as a whole.

Price multi-bird pieces by totaling the individual bird costs and adding 15 to 25 percent for the habitat and composition work. A matched pair of mallards that would individually price at $500 each might price at $1,100 to $1,250 together as a habitat piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate the cost to mount a turkey or duck?

For turkey fans: add form, materials, 2 to 3 hours of labor, and overhead. Minimum profitable price is $120 to $175. For full-body turkey: add form ($75 to $130), materials ($45 to $90), 12 to 18 hours of labor at your hourly rate, and overhead. Minimum profitable price runs $750 to $950 in most markets. For ducks: add form ($30 to $65), materials ($40 to $80), 6 to 12 hours of labor, and overhead. Minimum profitable price is $400 to $550.

What factors affect bird mount pricing?

Species complexity is the biggest factor, more intricate feather patterns require more painting and finishing time. Mount style matters: full-body costs 3 to 5 times more than fan or tail mounts. Habitat or base work adds cost. Multiple-bird compositions add planning and assembly time. And migratory species add compliance processing time that should be built into your rate.

How do I price a matched pair of duck mounts?

Start with the individual price for each bird. Add a habitat and composition premium of 15 to 25 percent for the additional work of building a unified piece. A pair of mallards individually priced at $480 each would typically price at $1,100 to $1,150 as a matched pair habitat piece, not simply $960 (two at individual price), because the multi-bird habitat work has real additional value and cost.

How does this apply to solo taxidermy shops?

The principles in this guide apply to solo shops just as they do to larger operations, though the scale differs. A single-person shop may have lower absolute volume but faces the same documentation, compliance, and customer communication requirements. The practical advice here scales down to any shop size.

What is the most common mistake taxidermists make with taxidermy shop pricing calculator birds?

The most common mistake is treating taxidermy shop pricing calculator birds as an afterthought rather than building it into the standard workflow from the start. Shops that encounter problems in this area typically did not establish clear processes before season, which means every situation becomes a one-off decision rather than a standard response.

Try These Free Tools

Put these insights into practice with our free calculators and planners:

Sources

National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Ducks Unlimited
Small Business Administration (SBA)

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