OWL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

What OWL RESEARCH INSTITUTE does

The Owl Research Institute (ORI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN 81-0453479) headquartered in Charlo, Montana, operating from the Ninepipes Research Center on the Flathead Indian Reservation in the Mission Valley. Founded in 1982, it conducts long-term field-based ornithological research focused on owl ecology, natural history, and habitat relationships, with sustained studies of Long-Eared Owls since 1982 and Snowy Owls since 1992 in Barrow, Alaska. The Institute has produced over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications and maintains programs covering 20+ North American owl species, including population monitoring, dietary analysis, nesting studies, and migration tracking.

The organization's core offerings include its long-term research program, the Ninepipes Research Center facility, and an education and outreach program serving K-12 students, university interns, civic groups, and the general public. Supporting products include the Owl Cam live streaming service (partnered with Explore.org, featuring three infrared nest cameras), the Owl Calls CD ($20 download), the Owl ID Guide covering 20 breeding species, an extensive photo gallery, and scientific publications. The Institute teaches natural history to thousands of people annually through classes, conferences, and field workshops.

The revenue model is non-profit and donation-driven: grants from foundations, corporations, and individuals form the primary funding base, supplemented by memberships, merchandise sales (Owl Calls CD, books, logo items), wildlife tour partnerships with Wild Planet Nature Tours, and an annual Hat Party fundraiser. Customer segments are predominantly horizontal and include individual general-public supporters and wildlife enthusiasts, K-12 and university students, hundreds of volunteers performing field labor, and federal, state, and local wildlife agencies collaborating on conservation planning and habitat assessments.

Name

OWL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Legal name

Owl Research Institute

Website

https://owlinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Owl Research Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 1982 and based in Charlo, Montana, conducting long-term field research on 20+ North American owl species and producing peer-reviewed publications, while delivering education and outreach to students, volunteers, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Research and Conservation

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Surveys & Movement/Connectivity Studies (e.g., Avian/Bat, Telemetry) (EUAHAHAH)

Keywords

• Wildlife research
• Ornithological studies
• Owl conservation
• Field ecology research
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

CHARLO, Montana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Owl Research Institute conducts long-term scientific field research on the ecology, natural history, and habitat relationships of North American owl species, including sustained studies of Long-Eared Owls (since 1982) and Snowy Owls (since 1992). It complements this research with K-12 and university education programs, volunteer field opportunities, live owl nest cameras, and supporting educational resources such as the Owl Calls CD, Owl ID Guide, and the Arctic Wings book. Revenue is generated primarily through grants, donations, memberships, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Owl Research Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) research organization, not a technology product company. It operates a unified research and education program focused on owl ecology and conservation. The core offerings include long-term scientific owl research programs, the Ninepipes Research Center facility, and educational outreach. Supporting products include the Owl Cam live streaming service (partnered with Explore.org), Owl Calls CD audio recordings, the Owl ID Guide identification resource, Owl Photo Gallery, scientific publications, newsletters (The Roost), and book publications including Arctic Wings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Owl Research Program Long-term scientific field research on owl species including Long-Eared Owls (since 1982), Snowy Owls (since 1992), Barn Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, Northern Saw-Whet Owls, and other species, including population assessments, banding, dietary analysis, nesting studies, and habitat relationships across Montana and Alaska.
• Owl Calls CD Audio collection of owl vocalizations covering 22 North American owl species, including hoots, toots, calls, clacks, and hisses. Available as a single download for $20, for research and educational purposes.
• Owl Cam Live streaming video service of owl nests, delivered in partnership with Explore.org, featuring three cameras streaming Great Horned Owl, Long-Eared Owl, and Snowy Owl nests using infrared technology for the public to view owl nesting activity in real time.
• Arctic Wings Book Award-winning book featuring Arctic National Wildlife Refuge birds, including a chapter on owls contributed by ORI President Denver Holt. Published by Mountaineers Books and winner of the National Outdoor Book Award for design and artistic merit.
• Education and Outreach Programs Educational programs including K-12 school visits, high school field programs, university internships, classroom presentations, civic group lectures, and field workshops designed to teach natural history to thousands of people annually and provide hands-on wildlife biology exposure.
• Ninepipes Research Center Research station situated on the Flathead Indian Reservation in the Mission Valley of western Montana, providing access to field sites, wildlife observation opportunities, and operational base for long-term owl studies.
• Wildlife Tours Wildlife tour programs delivered in partnership with Wild Planet Nature Tours, offering participants in-the-field experiences with owl research and other wildlife observation in western Montana field settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications produced over 25+ years
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society: Largest U.S. bird conservation non-profit operating sanctuaries, research, and policy programs. Overlaps with ORI in avian education, banding, and habitat conservation but operates at vastly greater scale across many species and geographies.
• American Bird Conservancy: National non-profit focused on bird and habitat conservation across the Americas. Comparable mission around wild bird protection, federal policy engagement, and habitat partnerships, though significantly larger and broader in scope than owl-specific ORI.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Major university-affiliated ornithological research and citizen-science organization. Comparable in scientific publication output, citizen-science engagement (eBird), and educational outreach to bird/wildlife enthusiasts, though vastly larger and broader in scope than ORI's owl-specialist niche.

Direct peers

• The Peregrine Fund: Non-profit dedicated to raptor conservation research, captive breeding, and habitat protection. Highly comparable as a specialist raptor research non-profit combining long-term field studies, scientific publications, and educational programming on birds of prey.
• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Non-profit raptor conservation and research organization operating a long-running migration watch and field-study program. Comparable as a specialist raptor non-profit combining multi-decade datasets, public education, and visitor engagement at a single research site.
• The Raptor Center (University of Minnesota): University-affiliated raptor medicine, rehabilitation, and research program. Comparable in publishing raptor-focused scientific research and providing educational programming on owl and raptor ecology, with strong volunteer and clinical engagement models.
• Raptor Research Foundation: International scientific society supporting raptor research and conservation through journals, conferences, and grants. Comparable as a specialist raptor/owl research community, though functioning as a membership society rather than a field-research operator.
• Bird Conservancy of the Rockies: Non-profit bird conservation organization conducting long-term landbird monitoring, banding, and habitat research across the Rocky Mountain region. Directly comparable in scale, regional geography, banding programs, and federal land-management partnerships.
• Point Blue Conservation Science: Non-profit ecological research organization focused on birds and their habitats as indicators of ecosystem health. Comparable as a small-staff, science-driven non-profit producing long-term datasets, peer-reviewed publications, and applied conservation recommendations.

Regional players

• Birds Canada: Canadian bird conservation and research organization running continent-wide monitoring programs. Comparable as a non-profit specializing in avian research, citizen-science banding, and applied conservation — but operating primarily in Canada with cross-border partnership potential for ORI.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/owlresearchinst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/owlresearchinstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/owlresearchinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/owl-research-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OWL RESEARCH INSTITUTE