Bird Studies Canada

115 Front Rd
Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0
President: Patrick Nadeau
Board Chair: Anne McConnell

Charitable Reg. #:11902 4313 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 4/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

B

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

n/r

DEMONSTRATED IMPACT

The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.

NEED FOR FUNDING

Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.

84%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 84 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Bird Studies Canada:

Bird Studies Canada is a 4-star charity. It has an average results reporting grade and reasonable overhead costs. 

Founded in 1960, Bird Studies Canada (Birds Canada) works to conserve wild birds in Canada through science, partnerships, public engagement, and advocacy. Bird Studies Canada conducts research, takes direct conservation action, and runs educational programs. In its Canada State of Birds 2019 publication, Bird Studies Canada reports that Canada has lost 40-60% of shorebird, grassland bird, and aerial insectivore populations. In the last decade, 80% of bird species identified as threatened or endangered in Canada have been aerial insectivores or grassland birds. 

In F2021, the charity published 165 peer-reviewed studies and postgraduate theses. Bird Studies Canada’s Motus Wildlife Tracking System collaborates with an international research network to track hundreds of species of birds, bats, and insects. Over 400 migration studies have benefited from the charity’s 1,200+ telemetry stations.  

In F2021, Birds Canada processed 20k requests for bird data through its main data portal, NatureCounts. The charity’s eBird program is a research and monitoring program where Citizen Scientists can upload their own bird observations and findings for others to see. As of F2021, almost 75k Canadians have submitted over 8m checklists totalling 684 bird species.  

Bird Studies Canada’s education and advocacy programs help Canadians discover birds and learn to make meaningful change. In F2021, over 10k people participated in the Toronto Bird Celebration virtual events. 55 schools participated in distance learning programs with Birds Canada ornithologists and educators. The charity's Bird Blitz at Home program is a virtual program where participants make and share observations of the birds around them. In F2021, over 600 students participated in the Bird Blitz at Home program.  

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Results and Impact

Through Bird Canada’s Forest Birds at Risk program, thousands of hectares of grassland, forest, and wetland habitat in southern Ontario have benefitted from restoration and the management of at-risk species. The charity has also contributed to maintaining critical migratory corridors of birds, bats, and butterflies within Long Point Biosphere Reserve by successfully advocating against wind turbine placement.  

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Bird Studies Canada’s results. 

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Finances

Bird Studies Canada had donations and special events revenue of $3.2m in F2021. Administrative costs are 9% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 7% of donations. Bird Studies Canada spends 16% on overhead. For every dollar donated, 84 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 

Bird Studies Canada has $7.3m in net funding reserves. The charity’s reserves can cover 1.3 years of annual program costs.  

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Bird Studies Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on May 27, 2022 by Emma Saganowich. 

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202120202019
Administrative costs as % of revenues 8.6%8.6%6.2%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 7.0%10.0%5.7%
Total overhead spending 15.6%18.6%11.9%
Program cost coverage (%) 125.3%118.1%152.6%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202120202019
Donations 3,0052,3834,418
Government funding 2,9112,7822,245
Fees for service 90123187
Special events 209241224
Investment income 1,301(235)431
Other income 1882646
Total revenues 7,7035,3217,550
Program costs 5,8085,3764,723
Grants 213016
Administrative costs 552478442
Fundraising costs 224262266
Other costs 82429
Total spending 6,6866,1515,476
Cash flow from operations 1,017(830)2,074
Capital spending 000
Funding reserves 7,3046,3837,232

Note: Ci used government funding figures from the charity’s T3010 CRA filing and adjusted the amounts out of donations. Ci analysis adjusts for deferred revenue, affecting revenues by ($166k) in F2021, ($241k) in F2020, and $828k in F2019. 

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 34

Avg. compensation: $85,708

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
1
$80k - $120k
9
$40k - $80k
0
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by the charity.

Charity Contact

Website: www.birdscanada.org
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 1-888-448-2473

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001