Birdlife International

Analysis

Birdlife International is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in November 1994, 32 years ago. Its declared purposes cover animals, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under animals. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02985746). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides other finance and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Birdlife International reported income of £37.0m and spending of £38.2m, spending 103% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £24.3m to £37.0m (+52%), an average of +11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 67%. Over the whole period it spent 92% of the income it received.

Among 2,161 England and Wales charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, Birdlife International sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Howletts Wild Animal Trust (£30.8m), Fauna & Flora International (£44.8m) and Colchester Zoological Society (£27.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 89%, donations and legacies 7.2% and trading 2.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £21k. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 5.6%. Grants to other organisations totalled £14.0m. Reserves of £4.1m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 282 people.