Local parks, museums line up Great Backyard Bird Count programs this week

The Great Backyard Bird Count runs Feb. 12 to Feb. 15 this year. It's an annual opportunity for all of us to wander around our backyards, parks and favorite outdoor spaces to record the birds we see and help scientists around the world.

Posted 12:51 a.m. Feb 9, 2021 — Updated 12:51 a.m. Feb 9, 2021

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

, Go Ask Mom editor

The Great Backyard Bird Count runs Feb. 12 to Feb. 15 this year. It's an annual opportunity for all of us to wander around our backyards, parks and favorite outdoor spaces to record the birds we see and help scientists around the world.

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences has a bunch of bird count-themed events this week. And on Monday, it premiered a Facebook video with more information about the count and how to participate.

Here are programs that are mostly virtual, starting Tuesday. Descriptions are courtesy of the downtown Raleigh museum.

Great Backyard Bird-making with the N.C. Museum of Art

3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 9. Take inspiration from naturalist-artist John James Audubon’s lifelong exploration of birds to create your own twittering critter! Learn about Audubon's illustrations, discover birds of NC and create a bird sculpture from recycled materials. Register online for this event.

Live at Prairie Ridge

10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 13. This Facebook live event on Prairie Ridge Ecostation's Facebook page will highlight live birds at different sites across North Carolina.

Bird Bingo

12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 13. Staff at Prairie Ridge Ecostation in west Raleigh will have left special bird ID bingo cards for at its Outdoor Classroom. Pick up a card, walk a trail and see how many birds you can find and identify. After you pick up your card, enjoy a walk on a trail to see how many birds you can find and identify. More information is on the museum's website.

Other local Backyard Bird Count programs include: