Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība

What Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība does

Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība (the Latvian Ornithological Society, LOB) is a Riga-based non-governmental organization (biedrība) founded in 1985 and dedicated to the study, conservation, and public advocacy of birds and their habitats in Latvia. It serves individual members, nature enthusiasts, families, youth, researchers, and educational institutions, and operates as the Latvian partner of BirdLife International, a global conservation network, since 1989. The organization's work spans ornithological research, citizen-science data collection, environmental advocacy, and nature education, with a record 808 members reported in 2021.

LOB's core products and platforms include the Dabasdati.lv citizen-science bird observation portal, ornithological publications such as field guides (with a new owl field guide added in 2026), educational programs and youth initiatives, field excursions and events that engage 5,000+ participants annually, and a network of local volunteer groups across Latvia. Its institutional role is anchored by the maintenance of the official Latvian bird species list and, as of 2026, the formal operation of the Latvian Rare Bird Observation Commission, which adjudicates rare bird records.

The organization's revenue model combines membership fees, individual donations, merchandise sales, and competitive grant funding, with EEA/Norway Grants totalling EUR 104,930.24 across the 2020-2024 programme period representing the most significant disclosed multi-year funding inflow. LOB also participates in coalition advocacy through partnerships such as the Zaļais Barometrs environmental coalition. The organization is governed by a member-elected board, with electronic voting introduced for board elections in 2024.

Name

Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība

Legal name

Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība

Website

https://www.lob.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība (Latvian Ornithological Society) is a Riga-based non-profit founded in 1985 dedicated to bird conservation, citizen-science observation, and nature education in Latvia, serving 800+ members and the broader public as the Latvian BirdLife International partner.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Viewing & Birdwatching Tours (THAAAEAB), Wildlife Watching & Encounters (Birding, Whale Watching, Primates) (THAJAIAC)

Keywords

• Bird conservation services
• Citizen science programs
• Ornithological research
• Environmental education
• Nature conservation advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individual members who join the organization to support bird conservation activities
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Public donations collected through the website and fundraising campaigns to support bird and habitat protection
3. Project Grants: Funding from EEA and Norway Grants through Active Citizens Fund (104,930.24 EUR for 2020-2023 project on civic participation in nature conservation)
4. Store Sales: Revenue from merchandise store including bird identification guides, educational materials, and related products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība (Latvian Ornithological Society) is a non-governmental nature conservation organization that protects wild birds in Latvia through membership programs, citizen science initiatives, environmental education, and conservation advocacy. It publishes the Putni dabā magazine, operates the Motacilla retail store for birding merchandise, runs the Dabasdati.lv bird observation data platform, and organizes annual events including Putnu dienas (Bird Days) and the Torņu cīņas birdwatching competition.

Product overview

Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība (LOB) is a non-profit ornithological organization that operates as a unified platform combining conservation advocacy, citizen science, and public education. The organization's portfolio includes publications (Putni dabā magazine), retail (Motacilla store), educational resources (Latvijas Pūces, owl field guide), citizen science platforms (Dabasdati.lv for bird observations), competitive events (Torņu cīņas competition, Putnu dienas events), and commemorative programs (Gada putna annual bird selection with drawing competitions). The organization also produces video content (Putnustāsti series) and publishes scientific atlases documenting Latvia's breeding bird populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Putni dabā (Magazine) Latvian-language ornithological magazine published by LOB covering bird species, conservation topics, and organization activities; available through the Putni dabā website.
• Motacilla Retail Store Online retail store selling birding equipment, bird identification guides, educational materials, and related merchandise to Latvian nature enthusiasts.
• Dabasdati.lv (Citizen Science Data Platform) Online portal for reporting bird observations and accessing nature data in Latvia; used by citizen scientists, researchers, and birdwatchers.
• Latvijas Reto putnu novērojumu komisija (Rare Bird Observation Commission) Official commission for documenting and evaluating rare bird observations in Latvia; ensures observation quality, reliability, and data usability for scientific and conservation purposes.
• Putnu dienas (Bird Days Events) Annual public bird observation events held across Latvia to celebrate the return of migratory birds, attracting thousands of participants annually (5,347+ in spring 2025 across 47+ events).
• Torņu cīņas (Birdwatching Competition) Annual 24-hour bird observation competition organized by LOB, with teams competing to spot the most bird species; Torņu cīņas 2026 attracted 24 teams including 19 experienced teams and 5 community teams.
• Latvijas ligzdojošo putnu atlants 1980–2017 (Breeding Bird Atlas) A 512-page publication documenting all 220+ breeding bird species in Latvia and changes in their numbers and distribution; the most comprehensive bird publication in Latvia in recent decades.
• Putnustāsti. Personība (Video Story Series) Video story series featuring LOB members and their experiences in bird observation and nature conservation, designed to encourage public engagement in environmental protection.
• Mans pirmais pūču noteicējs (My First Owl Guide) Field guide for identifying 12 owl species found in Latvia, developed in collaboration with artist Marta Gotlība; illustrations include apodziņš, bikšainais apogs, mājas apogs, plīvurpūce, ausainā pūce, meža pūce, svītrainā pūce, purva pūce, ziemeļpūce, urālpūce, baltā pūce, and īpītis.
• Gada putna konkurss un zīmējumu konkurss (Bird of the Year Program) Annual bird of the year program with associated drawing competitions for various bird species; engages the public in species-focused conservation awareness.
• Latvijas Pūces (Latvian Owls Free Educational Resource) Free educational resource about owls found in Latvia, available on the LOB website for public learning.
• Annual Membership Program Individual annual membership subscription granting access to LOB activities, publications, citizen science participation, and voting rights; reached a record 808 members in 2021.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5347+ citizens engaged in bird conservation activities annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• Vides konsultatīvā padome (Environmental Consultative Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2024LOB continues participation in the Environmental Consultative Council, a platform uniting 20+ environmental organizations to advise on environmental policy matters.
• BirdLife InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989Official Latvian national partner of BirdLife International, the global nature conservation organization focused on birds and biodiversity. Affiliation provides international credibility, resources, and collaborative opportunities for conservation initiatives.
• Latvijas Dabas fonds (Latvian Nature Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Zaļais Barometrs environmental initiative alongside Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība, Pasaules Dabas Fonds, Zaļā brīvība, and Latvijas Bioloģiskās lauksaimniecības asociācija for joint environmental advocacy.
• Pasaules Dabas Fonds (World Wildlife Fund Latvia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Zaļais Barometrs coalition coordinating environmental policy advocacy and monitoring.
• Zaļā brīvība (Green Freedom)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental NGO partner in Zaļais Barometrs initiative for policy monitoring and advocacy.
• Latvijas Bioloģiskās lauksaimniecības asociācija (Latvian Organic Farming Association)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Zaļais Barometrs coalition bringing agricultural expertise to environmental policy discussions.
• Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde (Nature Conservation Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency for nature protection; LOB collaborates on bird monitoring programs, protected species work, and citizen science initiatives.
• Arctic Paper LatviaminorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting LOB activities as shown in supporter logos on website.
• LMT (Latvian Mobile Telephone)minorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting LOB activities as shown in supporter logos on website.
• IT CentrsminorOthersCorporate sponsor (IT services) supporting LOB activities as shown in supporter logos on website.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lietuvos ornitologų draugija (Lithuanian Ornithological Society): The BirdLife partner in Lithuania; runs the same structure of bird monitoring, citizen science platforms, member events, and advocacy activities as LOB. Closest functional peer given the shared Baltic context and sister BirdLife affiliation.
• Eesti Ornitoloogiaühing (Estonian Ornithological Society): BirdLife partner in Estonia with an analogous member-based model, bird monitoring programs, and ornithological publication. Direct Baltic counterpart with comparable scale and governance structure.
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO): UK-based ornithological society focused on volunteer-powered bird monitoring, atlas publication, and citizen science data — closely mirrors LOB's scientific research and citizen science positioning.
• American Birding Association: Membership-based birding community organization in the US running birding events, competitions, and educational content — directly comparable to LOB's Torņu cīņas competition and Bird Days events.

Broad incumbents

• BirdLife International: Global umbrella partnership of which LOB is the Latvian member. Provides the network, scientific standards, and policy voice — comparable as the federation that sets the framework LOB operates within.
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB): UK-based BirdLife partner and the largest bird conservation charity in Europe. Operates the same member-driven, territory-based, citizen science-anchored model, but at materially larger scale — a useful scaling benchmark for LOB.
• National Audubon Society: US bird conservation organization with the same citizen science, education, and advocacy formula as LOB, though at much larger scale. Useful for understanding the breadth of programs a national bird society can develop.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Academic-affiliated ornithology hub running eBird — the world's largest citizen science bird observation platform. Comparable to LOB's Dabasdati platform in model, though at vastly larger scale.

Regional players

• Polskie Towarzystwo Ochrony Ptaków (Polish Society for the Protection of Birds — PTOP): BirdLife partner in Poland operating the same combination of bird monitoring, advocacy, and conservation programmes. Regional peer in close geographic proximity to Latvia with comparable scale.

Others

• European Bird Census Council (EBCC): European coordination body for bird monitoring that LOB national partners feed into. Comparable as the apex data-infrastructure player that legitimises and aggregates LOB's citizen science contributions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@putnidaba
• Xx.com/LOB_lv
• Facebookfacebook.com/LOB.lv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība