Tips for Choosing Bird Taxidermy Mounts

Bird taxidermy mounts are often displayed in the homes, garages or dens of hunters and outdoorsmen. While many people mount the birds they hunt, artificial bird mounts can also be purchased. There are several things to consider when choosing a bird mount.

• Decide whether you want to have a bird you have shot mounted or whether you want to purchase an artificial bird mount. Because of their small size, bird mounts are inexpensive compared to other animal mounts. You may be able to purchase an artificial mount cheaper than having your own mounted.


• Decide whether you want to display the bird mount standing up or whether you want to hang it on the wall. Do you want it to look as if the bird is flying or as if it standing on a bank? This affects how the bird is posed and what props are used around it.


• Consider the space you have for the mount or where it will be displayed. Large birds, such as turkeys, need a large display area and may be too large to hang on the wall. Smaller birds, such as ducks and geese, take up less space and are light-weight enough to hang.


• Decide whether you want the entire bird mounted or only a portion of it. Because birds are small animals, many taxidermists can mount the entire bird easily and cheaply. If you do not have space for a large mount or do not like the way it looks, you may have only the bird's head or other body parts mounted. For example, some people collect the beards of several turkeys and have them placed on a mount.


• Decide what, if any, props and decorations you want added to the mount. Taxidermists often add fake flowers and greenery to bird mounts to make them seem more realistic. You can choose what types of decorations you want to add or decide not to use any.