NGRREC invites public to Great Backyard Bird Count The Telegraph FacebookTwitterEmail A white-crowned sparrow as photographed from NGRREC’s green roof. GODFREY — The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center is inviting people to take part in “The Great Backyard Bird Count,” an annual global event designed to better understand global bird populations and their annual migrations. The event is planned on NGRREC’s green roof 1-5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 12. The building’s interior will remain closed. Last year, 250,000 participants from around the world identified nearly 7,000 bird species as part of the program. “Visitors will have the chance to work with NGRREC staff to identify and count bird species,” Environmental Educator Jen Young said. “Staff will keep track of this information and submit the bird list at the end of the event.”