Watching birds and reporting what you see during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count is a great reason to get outside in winter! Each February, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society ask people to spend at least 15 minutes over a 4-day period to watch birds and report every bird they see. This pre-spring migration data is reported in nearly real-time and the annual snapshot of birds helps scientists better understand global bird populations and their distributions. No matter where you live or where you are February 17-20 this year, take your binos and join this global citizen science project by spending at least 15 minutes reporting the birds you see around you. Last year, there were over 384,000 people participating from 192 countries, and over 7000 bird species were identified! Go by yourself or with friends; check out your backyard or go farther afield and make a day of birding. Who knew helping birds could be so simple or so much fun? Click here to find out how to participate.