COLERAIN TOWNSHIP — They don't even have to go outdoors to participate — they can cozy up by a window onto their yard, keep a guide book and binoculars by their side and count birds.

        They can join tens of thousands of people across the country who will participate in this year's Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by the National Audubon Society and designed to monitor the health of North America's bird population.

        Those interested in participating can learn what is involved and how to log their observations on Audubon's Web site at a meeting at 10 a.m. today at the Cincinnati chapter's offices at 3398 W. Galbraith Road.

        “We'll talk about why the count is being done and what the procedures are for doing it,” said Brian Keane, president of the Cincinnati chapter of the Audubon Society. “The idea is to get a picture of where the North American birds are just prior to the start of spring migration.”

        Four days have been carved out for the bird count: Friday through Monday, Feb. 16-19.

        This is the fourth year that the Audubon Society has sponsored the count. Last year, more than 62,000 people participated across the country and Canada. More than 3,000 participated in Ohio and about 250 in the Cincinnati area.

        Mr. Keane said the workshop today will show people how to access the Web site and how to count birds and note species. People can participate in any way they choose, said Audubon officials; they can sit in their homes and count birds from their windows, or they can travel to a park.

        “What's really important about this is having the participation of people,” said Linda Vanderveer, a spokeswoman for the National Audubon Society in New York. “It's the participation of the average person that's most important about this. It does give us useful scientific results.”

        Over time, said Ms. Vanderveer and Mr. Keane, the count will have a cumulative worth; it will chart the rise and fall in bird populations, in species and the distribution of those populations across the country.

        “This is definitely big-picturing,” said Ms. Vanderveer. “Everybody's information counts.”

        Mr. Keane said participants don't have to participate all four days; they are encouraged to spend at least 15 minutes observing and counting birds, while a half-hour is preferred.

        He also said the local chapter can submit the data collected by those who do not have access to a computer or the Internet.
        The National Audubon Society's Great Backyard Bird Count can be accessed through www.birdsource.org

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