CFO Annual Conventions

the birding event of the year for Colorado birders!

Each year attendees experience a different part of Colorado and see new birds and habitats with field trips led by local experts.

  • See new birds on daily field trips
  • Learn about new research on Colorado birds in the scientific session
  • Attend social events and meet local ornithologists and birders
  • Celebrate another year of birding, education, and research on Colorado's birds with an evening banquet that includes a special guest speaker
  • Special events for students

This is a great opportunity to meet new friends, renew old friendships, and learn about birds in an informal atmosphere.

Owen Robertson and his COBC team

Avid birders at the Lamar 2024 convention. Photo by Owen Robertson.

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Mountain Plover. Photo by Peter Burke.

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Check out new optics, pick up local art, learn more at the vendor booths. Photo by Chip Clouse.

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Jon Dunn was the keynote speaker at the 2014 CFO banquet during the convention. Photo by Peter Gent.

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Birding at Beckwith Ranch during a Salida convention. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Common Nighthawk. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Birding at the Steamboat Convention. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Convention birders at Grand Mesa during the Montrose Convention. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Jeff Mitton was the keynote speaker during the 2015 Convention. Photo by Peter Burke.

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Hognosed Snake. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Western Kingbird. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Getting in a mid-day sit down while still birding! Photo by Peter Burke.

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Birding in Pueblo. Photo by Diana Beatty.

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Moose seen during the 2017 CFO Convention. Arapahoe NWR. Photo by Peter Burke.

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Lark Bunting -- Colorado's State Bird. Photo by Peter Burke.

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Dusky Grouse. Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Photo by Peter Burke.

Group photo of 11 birders looking out over still water in a plains riparian habitat. Many birders have their binoculars raised to their eyes.

Birders on a convention field trip checking to see what migrants have ventured into a riparian corridor in southeastern Colorado. Photo by Don Marsh

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Participants on the Best of Park County field trip. Photo by Sue Riffe.

Group photo of 12 birders on a green high alpine slope. All have binoculars around their necks.

Happy birders during a high-alpine field trip at a CFO convention. Photo by Peter Burke.

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Getting a closer look during the Lamar 2016 Science Session. Photo by Casey Setash.

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Birding Tamarack Ranch during the 2014 Convention. Photo by Peter Gent.

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BioBlitz award winners at the 2023 CFO-WFO Convention. Photo by Peter Burke.

CFO Convention 2026
Loveland, CO

The event will be held May 28th-31st, 2026 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland.

Registration will open in early March!

CFO is holding its 2026 convention May 28-31 in Loveland, Weld County.

The birding will be great, maybe epic, but there’s so much more to the CFO convention experience.

Sponsor & Exhibitor Information

Is your business or organization interested in connecting with hundreds of avid birdwatchers from across western North America?

Join us as a sponsor or exhibitor of the 2026 CFO Convention.

Year Location Dates Venue Keynote Speaker Keynote Address
2025 Grand Junction June 5-8 DoubleTree Hotel Amy Seglund
2024 Lamar, CO May 2-5 Historic Cow Palace Dallas May & Jonathan Reitz Conservation Ranching on the May Ranch
2023 Summit County, CO July 19-23 Copper Mountain Ski Resort Jessie Barry Merlin - Sharing the Magic of Birds with the World
2022 Pueblo, CO May 19-23 Hampton Inn & Suites - North Michael Parr Bird Conservation Across the Americas
2021 Not held
2020 Pueblo, CO Cancelled
2019 Montrose, CO June 13-17 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Nathan Pieplow Birding by Ear
2018 Longmont, CO May 17-20 Best Western Plaza Hotel Scott Taylor Evolutionary Biology in Birds - Black-capped Chickadee Research
2017 Steamboat Springs, CO June 1-5 Colorado Mountain College Sheri Williamson Hummingbirds: Small Wonders
2016 Lamar, CO May 5-9 Cow Palace - Rodeway Inn Garth Spellman The Past, Present, and Future of Ornithology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2015 Salida, CO June 4-8 Gateway Inn & Suites Jeff Mitton A Naturalist's Interpretation of Interacting Species
2014 Sterling, CO Aug 28 - Sep 1 Ramada Inn Jon L. Dunn Shorebirds in Colorado: When to Expect Them & What to Look For
2013 Cortez, CO May 16-19 Baymont Inn and Suites John Vanderpoel Full Chase Mode: Highlights of a 2011 Big Year
2012 Trinidad, CO May 17-20 A. R. Mitchell Museum & Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites Dr. Brian D. Linkhart Shedding Light on Climate Change Effects and Migration Patterns in Flammulated Owls
2011 Grand Junction, CO May 20-23 Doubletree Hotel Jeff Gordon Ten Birds That Changed Birding
2010 Fort Collins, CO May 21-24 Hilton Inn Craig Benkman Ecology and Evolution of the Red Crossbill
2009 Alamosa, CO May 22-25 Inn of the Rio Grande Ted Floyd Birding at Night: The Final Frontier
2008 Canon City, CO May 16-19 Quality Inn & Suites Richard Crossley Birding: Past, Present, and Future
2007 Craig, CO June 8-10 Holiday Inn Victor Emmanuel Birding Planet Earth
2006 Sterling, CO May 26-29 Ramada Inn Donald Kroodsma The Singing Life of Birds
2005 La Junta, CO May 13-15 Otereo Junior College Brian Wheeler
2004 Montrose, CO May 28-31 Holiday Inn Paul Lehman
2003 Frisco, CO June 6-8 Holiday Inn Van Remsen
2002 Durango, CO May 24-26 Doubletree Inn Kenn Kaufmann
2001 Pueblo, CO May 18-20 Holiday Inn Tom Schultz
2000 Grand Junction, CO May 26-29 Holiday Inn Pete Dunne
1999 Fort Collins, CO May 19-23 Marriott Hotel William S. Clark Raptor Migration Worldwide
1998 Lamar, CO May 8-10 Lamar Community College Jon Dunn North American Warblers
1997 Monte Vista, CO May 24-26 Movie Manor Motel Tony Leukering Bird Quiz
1996 Estes Park, CO June 14-16 YMCA of the Rockies & Park Village Playhouse Ken Giesen
1995 Grand Junction, CO May 27-29 Grand Junction Hilton Dr. Steven Emslie Bird Fossils of California Condor
1994 Trinidad, CO May 10-12 Best Western Country Club Inn Dick Roth Birding With a Purpose: The Value of Christmas Counts, Migrant and Breeding Bird Surveys as Monitoring Programs
1993 Craig, CO May 28-31 Holiday Inn Clait Braun Colorado Grouse
1992 Denver, CO Sept 4-7 Holiday Inn, Denver-Northglen Karen & John Hollingsworth The National Wildlife Refuges
1991 Durango, CO Aug. 30-Sept. 2 Red Lion Inn Susan Allen Argentina
1990 Pueblo, CO May 19-20 Holiday Inn Nick Watmough Birds of Turkey
1989 Fort Collins, CO May 19-21 University Park Holiday Inn Wendy Shattil & Bob Rozinski Colorado Birdlife
1988 Lamar, CO May 28-30 Lamar Community College David Leatherman Colorado Birds
1987 Boulder, CO May 8-10 National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) & Clarion Hotel Brian Wheeler Field Guide to Hawks of North America
1986 Colorado Springs, CO May 17-18 Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind & Holiday Inn Central Robert Rozinski The Sandhill Cranes and San Luis Valley
1985 Sterling, CO June 8-9 Northeastern Junior College John Rawinski Owls of Colorado
1984 Grand Junction, CO May 25-27 Mesa College Films from DMNH: Goony, A Legacy to the Loon
1983 Denver, CO May 27-29 Regis College Perry Conway Colorado Scenery: Prairies to Peak Tops
1982 Gunnison, CO June 11-13 Western State College William Calder Hummingbirds and Their Secerts
1981 Estes Park, CO June 26-28 YMCA of the Rockies Bill Ervin An Introduction the Pawnee National Grasslands: Prairie Images and the Function of Song Flight in Lark Buntings
1980 Boulder, CO May 24-26 Chautauqua Resort Alfred M. Bailey Two films
1979 Colorado Springs, CO May 26-27 Colorado College Lynn Grace Film: Ternwatch
1978 Loveland, CO May 20-21 Sylvandale Ranch
1977 Grand Junction, CO May 21-22 Mesa County Fair Grounds
1976 Fort Collins, CO June 4-6 Colorado State University
1975 Colorado Springs, CO May 17-18 Colorado College & Village Inn
1974 Pueblo, CO May 18-19 Southern Colorado State College & Holiday Inn
1973 Durango, CO May 19-20 Strater Hotel
1972 Boulder, CO May 20-21 Holiday Inn
1971 Woodland Park, CO May 22-23 Manitou Experimental Forest Station Dr. Pat Currie Research Being Conducted at the Station
1970 Fort Collins, CO June 18-21 Colorado State University
1969 Denver, CO May 3-4 Voyager Hotel
1968 Grand Junction, CO May 25-26 Café Caravan
1967 Estes Park, CO May 25-26 YMCA Camp
1966 Boulder, CO May 21-22 University of Colorado
1965 Colorado Springs, CO May 15-16 Colorado College
1964 Fort Collins, CO 23-May
1963 Denver, CO May 25-26 Denver Museum of Natural History & Wellshire Inn Dr. Alfred M. Bailey Film: Colorado Wildlife