The Great Backyard Bird Count, a national effort to monitor bird populations over time, is coming to Maine this year with the support of Wild Birds Unlimited of South Portland.

The count will be held from Feb. 18 to 21.

People can count alone or as a group, and can spend as much or as little time as they want counting birds. People can count in any location on any or all of the four days of the event, for as little as 15 minutes a day.

Counters then report their findings on the BirdSource Web site, www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

For more information about the Great Backyard Bird Count, call or stop by the Wild Birds Unlimited store located at 50 Maine Mall Road, South Portland. For online updates, access the Web site at www.wbu.com.