alaska songbird institute

What alaska songbird institute does

Alaska Songbird Institute (ASI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 46-1837510) headquartered at Creamer's Refuge in Fairbanks, Alaska, that conducts long-term boreal songbird research and delivers ecological education and conservation programs. Founded in 2013 to continue work dating to 1992, ASI operates the Creamer's Field Migration Station — the northernmost bird banding station in North America — and the Swallow Ecology Project, which monitors approximately 100 Tree Swallow nests per season as part of a continent-wide research network. The organization stewards over 100,000 bird capture records spanning 30+ years, including datasets inherited from the Alaska Bird Observatory (1991-2012), which are made available to academic researchers under a formal Data Sharing Policy.

ASI's programmatic portfolio spans K-12 field trips (integrated with the Alaska Fish and Game Department), youth mentoring for ages 10-14, paid high school internships with $500 stipends, the North for Science immersive summer program at the University of Alaska's Toolik Field Station, and the Fairbanks FeederCount community science initiative. Educational content is distributed through an online Interior Alaska Bird Guide (29 species), a YouTube channel (@AKbirds), and an ArcGIS StoryMaps virtual field trip. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of individual donations, tax-deductible memberships, tiered Adopt-A-Net corporate sponsorships ($250-$5,000+), sustaining "Frequent Flyer" recurring gifts, unit-priced guided tours ($60/group) and workshops ($75/participant), field trip fees, and grants. The organization partners with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Arctic Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird), Friends of Creamer's Field, the Fairbanks Children's Museum, and multiple local business sponsors, and is governed by a Board of Directors with a small staff led by an Education Director and Science Director.

The business model is that of a community-anchored conservation nonprofit rather than a venture-backable enterprise: ASI monetizes its research platform primarily through philanthropic support and educational programming rather than commercial contracts, and there is no disclosed equity ownership, no external institutional investors, and no published revenue or budget figures.

Name

alaska songbird institute

Legal name

Alaska Songbird Institute

Website

https://aksongbird.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Alaska Songbird Institute is a Fairbanks-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the northernmost bird banding station in North America, conducts long-term boreal songbird research, and delivers K-12, youth, and citizen science education programs supported by donations, sponsorships, and program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairbanks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Tax-deductible donations of any amount automatically make donors ASI members for one year. Members receive invitations to special events, discounts on programs, and annual printed newsletter.
2. Adopt-A-Net Sponsorship: Corporate and individual sponsorships of mist nets at the Creamer's Field Migration Station. Sponsors receive signage at nets, seasonal reports with photos and activity highlights.
3. Frequent Flyers Program: Sustaining donors making regular scheduled donations (monthly, quarterly, or annual) providing essential reliable operating funds.
4. Tours and Programs: Revenue from guided morning tours ($60 for groups up to six) and workshop fees ($75 for wool felting workshops).
5. Field Trips: School field trips integrating with Fish and Game department. K-12 educational programs with scholarship options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Alaska Songbird Institute (ASI) operates the northernmost bird banding station in North America, the Creamer's Field Migration Station in Fairbanks, Alaska, conducting long-term boreal songbird research using bird banding and mist netting methodology. It delivers ecological education programs for K-12 students and community members, including field trips, youth mentoring, high school internships, and the North for Science summer program, while maintaining long-term datasets (since 1991) shared with researchers and contributing to citizen science via eBird and Fairbanks FeederCount.

Product overview

Alaska Songbird Institute (ASI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a unified conservation-focused entity rather than a platform with modules. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on boreal songbird research and education. Core offerings include the Creamer's Field Migration Station (northernmost bird banding station in North America), the Swallow Ecology Project, North for Science youth program, and Fairbanks FeederCount community science initiative. Educational programs include K-12 field trips, high school internships, and youth mentoring. Supplementary resources include an online Interior Alaska Bird Guide, virtual field trips via StoryMaps, and a data sharing program for researchers. The organization also runs fundraising programs including Adopt-A-Net sponsorships and the annual Fairbanks Birding Challenge event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creamer's Field Migration Station (CFMS) The northernmost bird banding station in North America, offering community-based research where visitors can observe mist netting demonstrations, banding procedures, and learn about songbird migration and data collection during spring and fall banding seasons.
• Swallow Ecology Project Long-term monitoring of Tree Swallow populations that tracks nearly 100 nests each season to build boreal songbird datasets, participating in the continent-wide Tree Swallow Network.
• North for Science Summer immersion program for 7th and 8th grade students taking participants up the Dalton Highway to the University of Alaska's Toolik Field Station for hands-on outdoor research, offered at no cost to students.
• Fairbanks FeederCount Community science project engaging volunteers in counting birds at backyard feeders to gather data on winter bird populations in the Fairbanks area.
• K-12 Field Trips Educational field trips for K-12 students at Creamer's Field, pairing Alaska Fish and Game history programming with ASI's songbird, banding, and migration instruction. Best suited for second grade and older, with scholarships available.
• High School Internships Research training program for high school students aged 14-18 working alongside biologists and youth mentoring participants; students receive a $500 stipend.
• Youth Mentoring Program Summer program for students ages 10-14 providing hands-on field experience monitoring Tree Swallows alongside staff and interns.
• Adopt-A-Net Sponsorship Sponsorship program enabling businesses and individuals to fund mist nets at Creamer's Field Migration Station, with tiered recognition (Steward $5,000+, Master Bander $2,500-$4,999, Bander $1,000-$2,499, Intern $500-$999, Birder $250-$499), signage at nets, and seasonal activity reports.
• Guided Morning Tours Behind-the-scenes 90-minute guided tours of the Creamer's Field Migration Station during banding season, priced at $60 for groups of up to six individuals.
• Creative Workshops (Wool Felting) Educational workshops held at partner venues such as Northwoods Book Arts Guild, including a $75 per-person dry wool felting workshop celebrating spring migration, limited to 10 participants with all materials included.
• Fairbanks Birding Challenge Annual community birding competition in May where participants register as individuals or families for a $20 fee and try to find as many species as possible for prizes, with optional Birding with an Expert guided sessions.
• Data Sharing Program Formal research access program enabling researchers to request use of ASI's long-term datasets, including those previously managed by the Alaska Bird Observatory (1991-2012), subject to a data sharing request form and appropriate acknowledgments.
• Interior Alaska Bird Guide Online educational guide covering 29 common bird species in Interior Alaska, organized by habitat (Forested, Wetland, Grassy, Generalist) with pictures, range maps, and encounter information at Creamer's Field.
• Virtual Field Trip (ArcGIS StoryMap) Interactive virtual experience of the Creamer's Field Migration Station built on ArcGIS StoryMaps, allowing remote exploration of banding operations and migration data.
• Frequent Flyers Sustaining Donor Program Recurring donor program accepting scheduled donations (monthly, quarterly, or annual) providing essential operating funds for the organization.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33 species of birds banded in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends of Creamer's FieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Spring Migration Celebration and Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival. Collaborative relationship supporting conservation and education at Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge.
• Northwoods Book Arts GuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for creative workshops like 'Let Your Creativity Take Flight' wool felting classes celebrating spring migration. Located at 3550 Airport Way, Suite 205, Fairbanks.
• Alaska Fish and Game DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative field trip programs where F&G focuses on history of Creamer's Field and ASI focuses on songbirds, bird banding, and migration.
• University of Alaska FairbankscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTree Swallow Project Team monitors nest boxes at UAF campus. Partnership supports both research and educational opportunities.
• University of Alaska Toolik Field StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth for Science program takes middle school students to remote location for immersive outdoor research experience. Program offered at no cost to students.
• Arctic Audubon SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts multiple field trips including Arctic Audubon Walks to locations throughout Fairbanks area: Creamer's Field, Tanana Lakes, Delta Junction, Twelve-Mile Summit, Wickersham Dome, Riedel Nature Reserve.
• Fairbanks Children's MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts Super Saturday events combining children's museum programming with ASI educational content about birds and nature.
• The Folk SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing wood engraving instruction for high school interns. Hosts art shows displaying student artwork created during ASI internship program.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird)coreTechnology or IntegrationASI conducts eBird workshops teaching participants to use the global online database and citizen science project created by Cornell Lab. Promotes data contribution to fill gaps in Alaska bird data.
• 2025 Adopt-A-Net Sponsors (Rotary Club, Usibelli, Camp Denali, McKinley, Metro, ABR, Quartz Lake)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses and organizations sponsoring mist nets at Creamer's Field Migration Station. Contributions sustain banding operations with signage recognition at nets and stations.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Cornell Lab of Ornithology operates the global eBird citizen-science platform and runs long-term bird research and education programs. ASI is an active eBird partner and shares the core model of integrating research, citizen science, and public education around bird populations.
• Birds Canada: Birds Canada runs long-term bird monitoring, citizen science (Christmas Bird Count, eBird), and conservation programs focused on Canadian bird populations. It is a close analog to ASI in mission, methodology, and integration with citizen-science platforms.
• Institute for Bird Populations: Institute for Bird Populations runs the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) program and operates long-term bird banding stations across North America. Its constant-effort banding and population-monitoring approach is directly comparable to ASI's Creamer's Field Migration Station methodology.
• Klamath Bird Observatory: Klamath Bird Observatory is a small Oregon-based nonprofit running long-term bird banding and monitoring stations. It is a tight methodological and scale analog to ASI as a station-based avian research organization.
• Point Blue Conservation Science: Point Blue is a conservation science nonprofit running long-term bird population monitoring, including the Palomarin Field Station banding operation. It is highly comparable to ASI as a small-staff, station-based, long-term dataset organization.
• Bird Conservancy of the Rockies: Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (formerly Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory) runs the Rocky Mountain Avian Data Center and bird banding stations in the Rockies. It mirrors ASI's model of combining constant-effort banding, monitoring, and education programs.
• American Bird Conservancy: American Bird Conservancy is a bird-focused conservation nonprofit working on habitat protection and species recovery across the Americas. It shares ASI's bird-conservation mission but operates at a national scale rather than a single-station research focus.

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society: National Audubon Society is the largest U.S. bird conservation nonprofit, running bird counts, sanctuaries, and education programs nationwide. Arctic Audubon Society is an ASI co-host, putting ASI inside the Audubon ecosystem as a regional affiliate.
• Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center: Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center conducts research on migratory bird ecology, conservation, and education as part of the Smithsonian. It shares ASI's bird research and education focus but operates at much larger scale and institutional backing.

Others

• Alaska Bird Observatory: Alaska Bird Observatory is the Fairbanks-area bird research nonprofit that managed the same 1991–2012 banding datasets now stewarded by ASI. It is the direct organizational predecessor and still operates in the same Fairbanks bird-research space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AKbirds
• Facebookfacebook.com/AKSongbird
• Instagraminstagram.com/alaskabirds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alaska-songbird-institute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 alaska songbird institute