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The 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is on from Friday, February 17 to Monday, February 20, 2023. (Photo: Photo 29536345 © Pratik Panda | Dreamstime.com)

Great Backyard Bird Count set for this weekend

Feb 18, 2023 | 9:30 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Bird watchers unite! This weekend marks the 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada said that all residents need to do to celebrate this initiative is go outside for 15 minutes or more, at least once over four days and “listen for cheeps and caws” while watching for birds in their yards, neighbourhoods, nature reserves or in local parks.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is on from Friday, February 17 to Monday, February 20, 2023.

Participants can download the eBird app and track their findings through the mobile application. The eBird program can also be accessed on a computer. Participants can use the free Merlin Bird ID app as well throughout the weekend program.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada. Last year, more than 384,000 people in 192 different countries took part in the event.

In Canada, over 57,000 lists of birds were submitted across all 10 provinces and three territories.

More details on how to participate are available from the Cornell Lab.