Time commitment: Organizers recommend watching and counting birds for no less than 15 minutes at least one time over the four-day period. Where: You can count birds anywhere you want – whether that’s in your backyard, at a local park or on a hike.

The count is part of a global bird count Friday through Monday when bird watchers will work to create a real-time snapshot of populations.

You can take part in one of the largest citizen science projects in the world this weekend as the "Great Backyard Bird Count” gets underway.

But you don't have to attend a get-together to show your fandom for feathers; you can simply participate in The Great Backyard Bird Count when you have a few minutes to spare. And we do mean "a few minutes": The annual science-helping event,

If you have at least 15 minutes to spare between February 14 and February 17, you can take part in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, a global effort organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Audubon Society,