American Songbird Management and Recovery
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Protect restore create and maintain native songbird habitat including fee simple or conservation easement ownership of real property and donations to and trades with other nonprofits with similar goals. Research survey monitor and manage songbird populations and their breeding biology with an emphasis on the recovery re-expansion and reintroduction of rare declining threatened and endangered songbirds but including all avian species. Remove non-native parasitic brown-headed cowbirds primarily through topical trapping to protect native songbirds.
- Income
- $638,110
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 60.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 85%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 5
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 60.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 143% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $2,442 spent. Coastal Conservation Lake Superior CC LS: Donation contributed by a Nonprofit 501c3s targeted to help protect keystone properties within several Coastal Conservation Areas on Lake Superior. The natural lands protected lie on the coast of the Keweenaw Peninsula an area that is nationally known to ornithologists especially for nesting wood warblers and large numbers of migrating birds songbirds raptors ducks geese and shorebirds. The lands along the lakeshore are the most threatened by development and all contributions received were designated for new acquisitions that linked to already protected natural areas thereby creating landscape level protection including continuous corridors of native habitat for birds and other wildlife. Expenses include closing costs on a land trade with non cash contribution in part to American Songbird 83 acres Deed title insurance prorated CFR taxes; see also 4b.
- $1.5 million spent. Four Bird Sanctuaries were acquired through purchase or trade 1,103 acres 800 feet of Lake Superior Shore: REVI Phase III 80 acres acquired in trade land swap for EVGR 80 acres adds to 2022-23 REVI Phases I & II 42 acres; now total of 122 acres Northern Waterthrush NOWA 83 acres 800 + - feet of shoreline acquired in trade for EVGR 240 acres $99,000 non cash contribution by nonprofit seller as part of Bargain Trade to American Songbird; see 4a. above FB 40 acres purchased and Phillipsville 900 acres purchased. Expenses include acquisition costs of the Sanctuaries including cost of land and closing costs; trades were closing costs only with NOWA trade cost in 4a above,
- $21,500 spent. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant NFWF G Ventura Audubon Society VAS: American Songbird partnered with VAS on National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant #67287 Least Bells Vireo Range Expansion Surveys CA. NFWF funded focused Least Bells Vireo Vireo bellii pusillus Vireo LBVI surveys and nest monitoring in native willow-dominated riparian habitat on the Central Coast of CA spring 2024 while American Songbird conducted non-native cowbird trapping and removal adjacent to LBVI nesting territories in Santa Barbara County in 2024. The 2024 Grant and Partnership built upon work conducted 2020-2023. Expenses include Fees for Services for Contracting the field work.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.