For the next four days, birdwatchers all over the world will be taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Bird lovers will identify the feathered friends they see or hear in their area and report their findings. The data helps scientists protect birds by providing information about how populations and habitats change over time.

In today's image is a pyrrhuloxia—or desert cardinal—a songbird that lives in the deserts of northern Mexico and the American Southwest. Locals might be lucky enough to see one of these red and gray birds; they often visit backyards in search of seeds, or to eat the fruit from shrubs and cacti.