Central Illinois birdwatchers are invited to submit observations from their bird feeders during this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count from Feb. 12-15.

The event, sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited and organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, asks participants to count the birds in their backyard, parks or other community locations and to record their tallies online or on paper checklists.

Researchers will use the tallies to study bird ranges, populations, migration pathways and habitat needs. Last year, Illinois participants submitted more than 2,600 checklists, reporting the activity of 139 different species.

Birdwatchers can submit their tallies to BirdSource (www.birdsource.org) and see up-to-the-minute count information through graphics and animated maps.

Those without Internet access can drop off tallies to Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop at 1930 S. MacArthur Blvd.

For more information, contact Wild Birds Unlimited at 217-789-6468 or visit their web site: www.wbu.com/springfieldil.