If you missed the statewide backyard bird count last weekend don’t fret; you can be part of a global backyard bird count this weekend.

The Great Backyard Bird Count, launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society as one of the first big online citizen-science projects, takes place Friday, Feb. 17, through Monday, Feb. 20. People are asked to go to a select spot for at least 15 minutes at least once during this period, and identify all the birds they see or hear, recording results into mobile apps or a website form. Details are at birdcount.org/

Last year more than 384,000 people in 192 countries submitted checklist reports about 7,099 species of birds. More than 2,000 checklists were submitted in New Hampshire, about the same as in Vermont but fewer than Maine and about one-third the number as Massachusetts.

The data help researchers track the ups and downs of various species, which then helps determine the direction of conservation efforts. They have also backed up increasing concern about the decline of overall bird numbers throughout the globe.

New Hampshire’s participation may be affected by the fact that New Hampshire Audubon holds a similar event. Its Backyard Winter Bird Survey, which asks people to observe in their own back yard for a set time, took placed last weekend, Feb. 11-12.

New Hampshire Audubon started the survey in 1967 while trying to get a handle on southern birds such as cardinals that were moving north as winters warmed. It was expanded in 1987 to gather information on many winter species in New Hampshire.

The data from both studies is used to estimate trends in avian populations, among other things. New Hampshire’s event has more consistency when comparing data from different years since people observe in the same place – their back yard – every time. The national study, however, covers more varied terrain.

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