CFO Convention 2024
Lamar, Colorado

Ask a Colorado birder, When is the single best weekend in the entire birding year?  Where?

Many will say, Early May, Southeastern Colorado.

CFO is holding its 2024 convention May 2–5 in Lamar, Prowers County. Legendary birding hotspots such as Two Buttes and Cottonwood Canyon will likely have a variety of eastern warblers; specialty trips to private ranches are practically guaranteed to provide some surprises; and even birding right around Lamar will be excellent. Field trips to local cultural history sites and big sits provide opportunities for those who prefer some less intense birding days.

The birding will be great, maybe epic, but there’s so much more to the CFO convention experience. A Friday evening social to catch up with friends, a keynote address by local conservation rancher and steward Dallas May, talks about new research on Colorado's birds, and more.

Every year is different but if you'd like to read how CFO's last convention in Lamar went, here is the article from the 2016 convention.

Registration is open until 15 April, 2024. 

Circular graphic with three Mississippi Kites, a Rock Wren, and a Northern Cardinal.

Schedule Overview

Activities and times are subject to change. 

Thursday, May 2 - Arrival trips, Welcome Picnic (5:30-8 pm; food 6:00-7:30), Rail field trip

Friday, May 3  - Full-day field trips, Social 

Saturday, May 4 - Half-day field trips, Workshops, Science Session, Banquet & Keynote Speaker

Sunday, May 5 - Full-day & Half-day field trips

Registration Packet

Please read before you register!

This registration packet includes meal options, unique convention shirts, all field trip descriptions, and more. Please review the information in this packet before you start the registration packet. We expect some trips to fill very quickly once registration opens, knowing what you want when you start registration will help you get the trips you want.

Want to ensure you and someone else are on the same field trips? We recommend that you plan out trips you want to be on before registration opens. Then log into your separate CFO accounts from different computers or mobile devices and register for trips at the same time.

Convention Logistics

Housing

The Historic Cow Palace Inn

The convention will be held at the newly renovated Historic Cow Palace Inn. The Cow Palace is a stone’s throw from the Arkansas River, you can bird even when not on a field trip. Reservations with the CFO group code must be made by April 1, 2024.  

Room options

View room details and all options on the Cow Palace website (see booking details below). All suites have pull-out couches to be able to sleep 4.

  • King Room. $100/night
  • Two Queens Room. $110/night
  • Patio Suite (King Bed).  $140/night
  • Biz Suite. $160/night
  • Deluxe Suite. $180/night

To get the conference rates, use group code b072693 or book through this link. Note that this link is automatically populated for check-in Wednesday, May 1st and check-out on Sunday, May 5th.  If you want other nights, adjust the dates at the top of the page.
Reservations with the CFO group code must be made by April 1, 2024.

Hotel Room Cancelation Policy

To cancel a reservation, please call the Historic Cow Palace Inn at 719-691-6167.

  • Reservations are fully refundable 48 hours prior to check-in.
  • Reservations canceled 1 to 12 hours prior to check-in will be credited towards a future stay of equal or lesser value.
Additional Information From Hotel
  • Check-in time: 3:00 p.m. We’ll be ready for you.
  • Check-out time: 12:00 p.m. Seize the day, friend!
  • Breathe easy. Historic Cow Palace Inn is a non-smoking property. This applies to both traditional smoking methods and all electronic delivery systems, including vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), e-pipes, and any variations of the foregoing regardless of the product’s name. Any smoking in the rooms or strong lingering smoking scents in rooms will result in a disappointed look and a $300 room cleaning fee.

Other Housing Options

There are other hotels in Lamar, CO.  CFO does not have a room block reserved at other hotels.

There are camping options in or near Lamar. Most require reservations.

Note that recent changes to SWA regulations and dispersed camping regulations may impact local areas. If you are looking for dispersed camping options, get information from the land managing agency. Don't just go based on someone's blog post!

Locations
Breakfasts and Lunches
Banquet Menu
Shirts & Hats
Science Sessions
Convention Program
Attendance & Cancellation Policy

Student & Youth Travel Awards

CFO offers youth and student travel scholarships to attend the CFO conventions. Find more details on how to apply. 

Registration
Registration closes on April 15

Convention registration includes your all field trips and workshops, the Welcome Picnic, Friday evening social, and the Saturday scientific session. Field trip and workshop registrations are first-come, first-served; some trips or workshops may fill before you register.

All attendees to the banquet and keynote address by local conservation rancher and steward Dallas May must purchase a banquet ticket.  

(Late Registration from April 16-25 costs $280 and shirts/hats/food cannot be purchased).

Registration fees for CFO Members

Full convention

$140
  • Entry to convention-related activities: field trips, welcome picnic, social, workshops, and science session. Banquet ticket must be purchased separately.

Youth/Student

$40
  • Must be 18 years or younger, or enrolled in an accredited college or university. Must show student ID at packet pickup. Banquet ticket must be purchased separately.

One day convention

$70
  • Includes all activities on day selected. Banquet ticket must be purchased separately.

Registration fees for Non-Members

Learn about becoming a CFO member.

Full convention

$180
  • Entry to convention-related activities: field trips, welcome picnic, social, workshops, and science sessions. Banquet ticket must be purchased separately.

Youth/Student

$65
  • Must be 18 years or younger, or enrolled in an accredited college or university. Must show student ID at packet pickup. Banquet ticket must be purchased separately.

One day convention

$110
  • Includes all activities on day selected. Banquet ticket must be purchased separately.

Banquet & Keynote Speaker Ticket

$50
  • Anyone wanting to attend the banquet and hear the keynote speaker must purchase a banquet ticket.

CFO members, please sign in to your account prior to registering to get your member discount.

Field trip & workshop leaders, please see your email with the subject line "CFO Convention Special Registration Information" regarding registration prior to using the form linked below to get your discounted registration rate.

All registrants, you will need to make your field trip, workshop, food, and shirt/hat selections when you register. Download the Registration Information Packet to see the field trip descriptions and more details.

On the Member Login page, please select "Having trouble logging in?" (under the Log In button).  You will be sent an email to the email associated with your account with directions on how to reset your password. If you don't get an email with a minute, please check your spam folder. 

You can also set up your online CFO account in this same way if you have not done so already. 

If you remain unable to access your account, please email membership@cobirds.org. We are a primarily volunteer-run organization so it may take us a few days to get back to you. 

Each person must register from their own account and submit a separate registration. (The only exception is the ability to buy an additional banquet ticket for another person). 

If you have two devices (computers, tablets, cell phones), we suggest you each log in to your account on a different device and register simultaneously to ensure the availability of trips, if you so choose.  Otherwise, register and pay for one person, then log out, log into the other account, and register the other person.  

CFO Members

To get the membership rate, each attendee must be a CFO member. CFO offers $15 household membership for any additional individuals living in the same household. Learn about household memberships. 

Non-Members

If you are not a CFO member, simply fill out a registration form for the first person and then repeat the process again for other individuals. An account will be created for each individual. 

Please contact us with the needed change. Depending on the change, there may be additional costs associated (e.g., if you change to a field trip with a separate fee, or add on a t-shirt). 

The field trip and workshop sign ups are part of the registration process. On the registration form, you will choose from drop-down menus what field trips you would like to attend on which days.

Please review your registration after and ensure that you have registered for the correct field trips. Some field trips and workshops have an additional fee associated with them to cover trip-specific costs. 

If you would like to change something email info@cobirds.org.

If you want to access your registration in the future you can access it by clicking on "Account" in the upper right corner of this page and then "Member Portal" (even if you aren't a CFO member). In your portal, there is a "registered events" link.

This applies to anyone with a CFO web account (e.g. you've registered for an event), even if they aren't a CFO member. 

Click on "Details" next to the 2022 Pueblo Convention.