ALMA, N.B. – This year’s Christmas bird count is expected to be the largest ever.

The 113th event which began in 1900 gets underway on Friday.

More than 12,000 people across the country and over 60,000 worldwide are expected to take part.

Avid birder Anne Bardou says it’s a good time to get acquainted with your feathered friends.

“In Fundy usually we see around 37 to 40 species, which is not bad at all.”

The annual count helps to identify what types of birds are in the region, and whether or not their numbers have increased or declined.

Last year’s count broke records in Canada, with 303 species identified.