CFO Convention 2026
Loveland, Colorado

 

The 2026 CFO Convention will be held May 28 - 31, 2026.

 

May. A most magical month for spring migration in Colorado. And with our 2026 "Peaks to Prairie" Convention, you'll get to experience much of what our state has to offer. With our field trip options you could see a high-altitude bird like an American Three-toed Woodpecker on one day, and a grassland specialty like the Chestnut-collared Longspur the next day. Combine our extensive field trip offerings with a robust science session, a lively Exhibit Hall, and opportunities to connect with fellow birders, and you'll experience a memorable birding event you won't soon forget. Join us!

Banner image: Photo by Charlie Lee
Logo design: Moira Hyde

 

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Registration

Member registration will open on Sunday, March 8 at 7 am.

General registration will open on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 am.

 

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Why should I Attend?

Registration Packet

Please read before you register!

The registration packet will include meal options, unique convention shirts, all field trip descriptions, and more. Please review this information before you start the registration process. 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.

The Registration Packet will be available closer to registration opening in early March.

Field Trip Preview

Our "Peaks to Prairie" convention means a variety of field trips are offered including:

  • Skip the lines and spend a day exploring the birds of Rocky Mountain National Park from the comfort of a Rocky Mountain Conservancy van
  • Look for Long-billed Curlews, Burrowing Owls, and longspurs during your Day on the Pawnee
  • Bird by bicycle along Loveland's bike paths with Nick Komar
  • Learn about bird banding on two trips: YMCA of the Rockies with Scott Rashid and Audrey Hicks, or Pine Ridge Natural Area Banding Station with Stephanie Wheeler and Edward Landi
  • Spot beautiful butterflies on an outing with local lepidoperist and birder Christian Nunes

With trips in Larimer, Weld, Boulder, and Gilpin counties, as well as Wyoming, this convention is sure to boost your county lists!

Schedule

The schedule is subject to change. Check the schedule on the website or the convention app for any changes prior to the convention.  All activities are at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland Conference Center except as noted. 

Thursday May 28, 2026

7:00 am - 4:00 pm Arrival field trips
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Welcome picnic w/ packet pick up - Centennial Park, Loveland (Catering starts at 6 pm)

Friday May 29, 2026

4:30 am - 9:00 am Breakfast Buffet (hotel guests only) - Cafe
5:00 am - 7:00 am Lunch pick up - Lake Loveland
5:00 am - 6:50 am Info Table w/ packet pick up - High Meadows area
5:15 am - 4:00 pm Field trips (full & half day trips) - High Meadows area
2:00 pm - 7:30 pm Exhibit Hall pen - Snowberry/Goldenglow
4:30 pm - 8:00 pm Info Table w/ packet pick up - High Meadows area
4:30 pm - 8:00 pm Silent Auction - Snowberry/Goldenglow
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Social - High Meadows area

Saturday May 30, 2026

4:30 am - 10:30 am Breakfast Buffet (hotel guests only) - Cafe
5:00 am - 7:00 am Lunch pick up - Lake Loveland
5:00 am - 6:50 am Info Table w/ packet pick up - High Meadows area
5:15 am - 4:00 pm Field trips (full & half day trips) - High Meadows area
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Exhibits/Vendors open - Snowberry/Goldenglow
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Silent Auction (last chance!) - Snowberry/Goldenglow
12:30 pm - 4:30 pm Info Table - High Meadows area
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm Science Session - Riverbirch
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Banquet & CFO Annual Meeting - Riverbirch
8:00 pm - 8:30 pm Silent Auction Payment/Pickup - Snowberry/Goldenglow

Sunday May 31, 2026

4:30 am - 10:30 am Breakfast Buffet (hotel guests only) - Cafe
5:00 am - 7:00 am Lunch pick up - Lake Loveland
5:00 am - 6:50 am Info Table w/ packet pick up - High Meadows area
5:00 am - 6:15 am Silent Auction Payment/Pickup - Snowberry/Goldenglow
5:15 am - 4:00 pm
Field trips (full & half day trips) - High Meadows area

Monday June 1, 2026

10:00 am - 4:00 pm State Forest/Arapaho NWR Trip - Walden, CO

Keynote Speaker

Muses in the Night: The Charm and Mystery of Owls and Their Power to Move Us to Action

Marion Clément, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

From ethereal silhouettes to unforgettable encounters, owls have a way of capturing our imaginations—and sometimes, changing the course of our lives. In her talk, avian ecologist Marion Clément shares how a fascination with owls first took hold and ultimately shaped her career in conservation science.

Marion explores the remarkable adaptations that make owls both captivating and challenging to study, before introducing three research efforts at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies that span species and scales: long-term monitoring of Mexican Spotted Owls and what it reveals about forest management, a volunteer-driven banding collaboration uncovering new insights into Northern Saw-whet Owls across North America, and a community-powered project focused on urban screech owls along Colorado’s Front Range. Woven throughout are stories of curiosity, collaboration, and connection: revealing how people inspired by owls have become essential partners in advancing research and conservation. This talk is both a celebration of owls and a testament to the power of wonder to spark meaningful action.

Marion Clément is an avian ecologist specializing in raptor conservation and owl research. She has worked with owls since 2015, where an early American Barn Owl monitoring project sparked her passion for wildlife research. Marion spent five years as a wildlife biologist in Maryland before steering the launch of the Maryland Bird Conservancy Partnership, a nonprofit collaborative of conservation partners. She earned her M.S. from Clemson University, where she studied habitat selection of Barred Owls along an urban gradient. She moved to Colorado in 2020 to work on Threatened and Endangered Species with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and later joined Bird Conservancy of the Rockies in 2022 to lead their Mexican Spotted Owl monitoring. She also coordinates a migratory owl banding station and a community supported urban screech owl project. Outside of work, Marion enjoys biking, rafting, salsa dancing, and painting.

 

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Be sure to register for the CFO Banquet to be able to hear from our 2026 CFO Convention Speaker.

Marion Clément will be the Keynote Speaker at the Banquet on Saturday evening. Tickets can be purchased during registration.

Convention Logistics

Locations

Convention Hotel

Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland Conference Center - 4705 Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland, CO

You can find a link to book a room at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland on the convention webpage under Logistics, then Housing to get a reduced CFO block rate. The CFO room block is set for check in Thursday May 28, 2026 and check out Sunday May 31, 2026. If you want to stay outside of these dates (e.g. you want to stay for the Monday trip), make sure to manually change the dates by clicking on Edit Stay near the top of the page when making your reservation.
 
If you do not use the website link to make your reservation, you will not be eligible for the CFO room block discount. Reservations must be made by April 28, 2026 to get the discount. 

 

Welcome Picnic

Centennial Park - 977 W. First Street, Loveland, CO 

The park is located at the corner of First Street & Taft Avenue. The Big Thompson River runs along the north side of the park and the park is across from Jayhawker Ponds so bring your binoculars! The Welcome Picnic will be held at the only shelter in the park, near the baseball fields.

 

Housing
Shirts & Hats
Transportation
Science Sessions
Food Selections
Birding at Beckwith Ranch during a Salida convention. Photo by Diana Beatty.
Convention birders at Grand Mesa during the Montrose Convention. Photo by Diana Beatty.
Figure 3. Objectives for my proposed project. Top images courtesy of the Pravosudov lab. Objective 1: On left, RFID feeder and on right, MOCH getting a seed out of a feeder. Objective 2: Many genes encode for spatial memory. Some of these genes may be different between MOCH and BCCH (Genes A and C in MOCH; Genes D and E in BCCH), while some genes may be the same (Gene B in both).
7-23-19 (18) Conferences-Bighorn Dinner_sm

Student Events

Travel Awards

In addition to the discounted student rates (anyone enrolled in K-12 or a college/university), CFO offers student travel scholarships to attend the CFO conventions. Find more details on how to apply.

Science Session

The Science Session offers an opportunity to present research and conservation project results in a low-pressure environment. Many of the presenters each year present work they completed while being a student. This is also a great way for those not yet involved in research to learn about it and meet people they can ask questions regarding how to get involved, choose an undergraduate or graduate program, or how to turn an interest in birds into a career.

The deadline for the Science Session abstract submission is March 5, 2026. See the Science Session tab in the Logistics table for more details.

Sponsors

CFO thanks the following sponsors for supporting the 2026 Convention in Loveland. All sponsors (except Colorado Wildlife Council) will have a table in the Snowberry/Goldenglow room, please visit them!

Snowy Egret Sponsor

Western Kingbird Sponsors

Exhibitor Information

Exhibitors at the CFO Convention will be located in the Snowberry/Goldenglow room adjacent to the Rotunda and Riverbirch rooms where other convention activities are occurring. This will yield high foot traffic and the opportunity to interact with the vast majority of convention attendees.

Exhibitors are responsible for complying with any applicable city, county, or state taxes on items sold at the convention.

Exhibit Hall Hours
Friday, May 29th: 2:00 - 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 30th: 12:00 - 5:00 pm

 

 

Exhibitors

All exhibitors will have a table in the Snowberry/Goldenglow room, please visit them!

Instagram account: @conservationclay
Instagram account: @conservationclay