The Hilton DoubleTree Grand Junction

CFO has arranged for a hotel block at the DoubleTree for the duration of the convention. To get the special rate, you must book using the link below.  Booking through this housing block must be made by May 16, 2025.

The special rate applies to Queen (2 beds) and King (1 bed) rooms and is for Thursday, June 5 - Jun 8, 2025. You can change your reservation dates if you want to stay more or fewer nights (top of page once you click on Book a Room), however, the discounted rate only applies to the nights in the CFO block.

Make Your Reservation

Hotel Cancellation Policy

Exact details are listed on your reservation confirmation email. If you book through the CFO block, free cancellation before 11:59 PM local hotel time on June 4, 2025.  If you make other arrangements, the cancellation policy may change.

Additional Information From Hotel

• Check-in time: 3:00 p.m.
• Check-out time: 12:00 p.m.
• Breathe easy -- smoke-free hotel
• Free wifi
• Free airport shuttle
• Mini fridge in all rooms booked through the CFO room block.
• Free parking for all individuals in rooms booked through the CFO room block.

Make Your Reservation

Camping

There are camping options in or near Grand Junction. Most require reservations.

• There are many RV and private campgrounds in and around Grand Junction.
• James M. Robb State Park - Fruita and Island Acres locations.

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!

Field Trips

All field trip transportation will be by carpooling in private vehicles. This will be arranged as a group by the field trip leaders approximately 1 week before the convention.  Individuals do not need to have their own vehicle to participate on field trips.  Plan for the carpool group to reimburse the driver at the rate of 50 cents per mile. The cost is divided among the passengers and the driver is included in the calculations when figuring out the per person costs.

To/From Grand Junction

There are Amtrak train and Bustang bus services from the Front Range of Colorado to Grand Junction.  From Durango, a Bustang Outrider route stops at several mountain and west slope communities before arriving at Grand Junction. Grand Junction is also home to the Grand Junction Regional Airport.

• Bustang
• Amtrak

Visit the VisitGrandJunction.org Transportation Page for more details.

All participants in the CFO 2025 convention are expected to:

• Abide by the CFO Code of Conduct
• Comply with the directions of the event leaders

Participants on 2025 Convention field trips are expected to:

• Stay with the group.
• Notify the trip leader and the driver of the vehicle in which you are riding, if carpooling, of any plans to leave the group.
• Make sure all carpool participants are in the vehicle when you leave any destination.
• Not undertake any endeavor that would endanger you health, or the health of others, as you know it.
• Observe all applicable rules of conduct, policy, regulation and law, whether on public or private lands.
• Adhere to the American Birding Association Code of Birding Ethics.

Non-smoking policy

Smoking is not permitted at any time or any place during the 2025 Convention, including field trips.

Pet Policy

No pets (other than service animals) are allowed during convention events, including field trips, workshops, socials, banquet, and science session.

Cancellation Refund Policy

CFO must receive written notification of registration cancellation on or by May 15th to receive a full refund. Deadlines for partial refunds for registration cancellation or modifications are May 20th (80% of total order) and May 25th (50% of total order).

Feeling Sick?

• Attendees should stay home if they feel they are sick.
• Frequent hand washing for 20 seconds to ensure safety. Please cover your face when coughing or sneezing.
• Consider wearing a mask during Convention if you are feeling ill with a possibly contagious respiratory illness.
• Masks are meant to protect other people. Please be cognizant of the health and safety concerns of others with whom you are participating in a shared event.

Science Session

Come learn about what is happening with our local birds from avian researchers working across Colorado. The scientific session will be held on Saturday afternoon.  All convention registrants are welcome to attend.

Download the Science Session Program (PDF) 

Presentation Guidelines

Oral presentations should reflect original research or summarize existing unpublished information and should be presented in a manner that will interest both serious amateur and professional field ornithologists. All researchers, including students, are encouraged to present.

Talks relating to the following themes are solicited:

• Status, distribution, migration, and population dynamics of birds
• Systematics and biogeography of birds
• Ecology, behavior, and evolution of birds
• New information on avian field identification problems
• Science-based conservation and management of birds
• Techniques for field study of birds, including censusing, monitoring, and other methods; and results of studies applying such techniques.

All talks should identify study objectives, describe methods and data analysis, present results, discuss the significance of the research, and propose future research directions. Oral presentations will be allotted 12-20 minutes (exact timing will be sent to presenters in acceptance email), with a short Q&A following each talk.

Abstract Submission

The deadline is 18 April 2025.

We invite abstracts for presentations to be given during the scientific session on Saturday, June 7th from 1-4:30 pm.

Abstracts should be 200-250 words and include a title, name of presenter(s), affiliation, email address, and a picture related to your research if possible. Presentation abstract submissions must be received by 18 April 2025 for consideration at grants@cobirds.org .

All attendees will get a packet that includes a personalized schedule with the activities they signed up for, a name badge, and other items related to the convention. These packets can be picked up at the Welcome Picnic or in the hotel lobby at the info table.

The convention programs will be digital-only in 2025. Please download your program and bring it on a digital device or print it out before the convention.

Download Convention Program (PDF). 

The Convention Banquet and Annual Meeting is a ticketed event – be sure to purchase your ticket and choose your main course when you complete your registration. There will be a no-host bar before and during the banquet.

Banquet Menu

Garden salad with balsalmic vinaigrette or ranch dressing

Main Course Options:

• Pork Cutlet- crispy breaded pork cutlet with white bean cassoulet and seasonal vegetables.
• Chicken Breast- Prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast with herb quinoa seasonal vegetables and a wild mushroom ragout. (GF)
• Seared Tofu - Seared tofu with herb quinoa seasonal vegetables and a wild mushroom ragout. (GF & Veg)

Dessert of assorted berries with Chantilly cream (Veg/GF)

Grab & Go breakfasts and lunches will be available to pick up each morning in the foyer outside the main ballroom starting at 5am.  Coffee and tea service will be available each morning. All Grab & Go meals must be ordered when you register.

If you sign up for a field trip leaving before 5am, do not order a breakfast or lunch for that day as you will not be able to pick them up. 

Breakfasts

Gluten-Free Option (GF): Only the breakfast burrito can be prepared gluten-free.  When registering, please select your burrito option and denote that you need it gluten-free in the Dietary Preferences box.

Breakfast Bag Details - $22

In addition to your selected main option, all bagged meals come with juice and a piece of whole fruit.

Friday

• Breakfast burrito with chorizo - tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, chorizo, peppers, and onions. (GF optional)
• Breakfast burrito w/o chorizo - tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, peppers, and onions. (GF optional)
• Breakfast burrito with vegan chorizo - tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, vegan chorizo, peppers, and onions. (GF optional, vegetarian)
• Breakfast bagel ham sandwich - Bagel with honey ham, Swiss cheese, and scrambled eggs.

Saturday

• Breakfast burrito w/ chorizo - same as Friday (GF optional).
• Breakfast burrito w/o chorizo - same as Friday (GF optional, vegetarian).
• Breakfast bagel bacon sandwich - Bagel with scrambled eggs, applewood smoked bacon with cheddar.
• Breakfast bagel sandwich - Bagel with scrambled eggs (vegetarian).

Sunday

• Breakfast burrito w/ chorizo - same as Friday (GF optional)
• Breakfast burrito w/o chorizo - same as Friday (GF optional, vegetarian)
• Breakfast bagel ham sandwich - Bagel with honey ham, Swiss cheese, and scrambled eggs.
• Breakfast bagel vegan chorizo sandwich - Bagel with scrambled egg and vegan chorizo. (vegetarian)

Lunches

Participants on all-day field trips will need to bring a lunch. Participants on half-day field trips may still wish to pack a lunch so that they can get to the start of the Science Session.

Gluten-Free Option (GF): All sandwiches can be prepared gluten-free.  When registering, please select your option and denote that you need it gluten-free in the Dietary Preferences box. 

Lunch Bag Details - $25 

All are served with fresh fruit, individual bags of potato chips, and a signature DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie.

Friday

• Turkey and Swiss sandwich - Roasted turkey and Swiss cheese on whole wheat with cranberry aioli, lettuce, and sliced tomato.
• Italian sandwich - Sliced salami and pepperoni on a baguette with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and pepperoncini.
• Italian vegetable sandwich – Sliced grilled seasonal vegetables on a baguette with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and pepperoncini.

Saturday

• Turkey and Swiss sandwich - Roasted turkey and Swiss cheese on whole wheat with cranberry aioli, lettuce, and sliced tomato.
• Ham and cheddar sandwich - Honey ham and cheddar on sourdough with whole-grain honey mustard aioli, lettuce, and sliced tomato.
• Red pepper hummus vegetable wrap - Red pepper hummus with sliced seasonal vegetables.

Sunday

• Italian sandwich - Sliced salami and pepperoni on a baguette with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and pepperoncini.
• Ham and cheddar sandwich - Honey ham and cheddar on sourdough with whole-grain honey mustard aioli, lettuce, and sliced tomato.
• Greek wrap - A Greek-inspired wrap with seasonal vegetables.

Order your exclusive convention shirt or a CFO hat with your registration!  All shirts & hats must be purchased when you register and will not be sold at the convention.

The 2025 convention art featured on the shirts is the work of TJ Smith (Stray Wild) and portrays the Colorado landscape around Grand Junction and a Scott's Oriole, a species that can be found around Grand Junction.

The shirts are from Comfort Colors and are 100% cotton. Expect some shrinkage and washing in cold water is recommended. Both shirts are available in S, M, L, XL, XXL.

Short-sleeved Unisex Shirt - $22 - In a beautiful yam color echoing the Kayenta sandstone in Colorado National Monument. TJ says, for his other shirts, this is the most popular color!

Long-sleeved Unisex Shirt - $28 - In a subtle brick color, this shirt hints at the rich burgundy colors that the canyons look after the sun goes down.

CFO Hat - $25 - Embroidered CFO logo on front of ballcap.