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By Chris Brown

Count from anywhere

Great Backyard Bird count on now

Feb 12, 2021 | 10:06 AM

The countdown is over and now the counting can begin.

The 24^th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is happening from Feb. 12-15. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) says it’s a fun, family-friendly activity for the Family Day long weekend.

People are invited to count the birds they see during at least a 15-minute period on one or more days of the count, and then enter their findings on the GBBC website.

NCC biologist Leta Pezderic says it is an opportunity to get involved in community science and be a part of something bigger in contributing to a global effort to collect new data on bird populations.

The NCC says the count is a snapshot of what is happening with birds in terms of population, migration and range. Last year, participants in more than 100 countries identified about 7,000 different bird species.

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Pezderic adds the location to count birds is entirely up to you. It can be done while looking out a window, from outside in a backyard or in a nearby park or other outdoor spaces, and participants can have any level of birding experience.

For instructions and a step-by-step guide, visit birdcount.org/participate.