The Anita Purves Nature Center hopes people take a few minutes this weekend to identify and count birds in their own yard during the 2022 Great Backyard Bird Count.

The bird count runs from February 18 - 21.

“Participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count is a fun activity to do alone, or safely with others. All you have to do is watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days,” said Savannah Donovan, Environmental Public Program Coordinator.

People can watch for birds from the warmth of their homes, or they can venture out.

How many birds brave the Illinois cold? Donovan says people may be surprised how many birds winter here. She explained, “More than 100 species of birds can be found in Urbana during the wintertime. These include easy-to-spot favorites like cardinals and blue jays, winter residents like the dark-eyed junco, and up to eight species of owls.”

People can go to birdcount.org to help identify bird species, and report what they see.

Donovan added, “We hope that participants of the bird count come away with pride in understanding that they have made a valuable contribution in this worldwide bird population survey. Plus, time spent in nature or watching nature and wildlife has significant mental and physical health benefits. We expect this to be a relaxing, feel-good activity.”