Events below are subject to change. Please check the event website or contact the host organization for the most current information.
Ute Mountain - Mesa Verde Birding Festival - Cortez (mid-May) A four day event. Take tours of local sites, including Mesa Verde, Denny Lake, McElmo Canyon, Ute Mountain tribal Park, and many more; hear presentations about protecting birds, backyard feeders; attend a bird-oriented art show; learn bird songs! Opening reception, guest speakers, and some meals provided. For further information, visit the festival's website. The website contains complete schedules for each day and a registration form.
Welcome Back Turkey Vulture Day - Castlewood Canyon State Park, Franktown (mid-May)Nothing heralds the return of spring to Castlewood Canyon State Park more than the sight of turkey vultures circling high above in search of food. To honor this annual natural event, come join us for Welcome Back Turkey Vulture Day! Castlewood Canyon, located five miles south of Franktown, boasts the largest summer roost of turkey vultures in Colorado, with up to 100 birds some seasons. Enjoy activities for all ages, including: a TV Dinner (hamburgers and hotdogs), face painting and a storyteller. Naturalist-led hikes will take visitors to spots where one can get a better view of these majestic birds. Learn how TV’s employ the 3 P’s to survive and help us humans lead better lives. Curious why they are bald and fly “wobbly?” Come to Welcome Back Turkey Vulture Day to answer this and more!
World Migratory Bird Day - Statewide (early-May)Not an event for Colorado exclusively, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is celebrated worldwide, with events in Colorado sometimes associated with it or occurring at the same time. For details about local events, or to learn how you can organize and register your own celebration, visit the World Migratory Bird Day website.
Annual Pikes Peak Birding & Nature Festival - Prairie to Peak - Colo. Springs (mid-May) Spring migration in Colorado is often full of surprises so the festival promises to be a special event. The Cheyenne Cañon Hummingbird Experience is also now part of this festival! Field trips, seminars, tours and events are happening throughout El Paso, Pueblo and Teller Counties. Be sure to visit the website to see the diversity of opportunities available to celebrate everything birds and nature! On Saturday evening, enjoy the "Birds and Brews" happy hour with free appetizers, drinks and more!Festival field trips will visit migration hotspots such as Bear Creek and Fountain Creek Regional Parks, Lake Pueblo State Park, Manitou Lakes, Chico Basin Ranch, Pinello Ranch and other locations searching for common and unexpected birds alike. Registration is required for some of the events. For more information, see the Pikes Peak Birding and Nature Festival website.
Bent on Birding - John Martin State Park (mid-late May)See Historic Petroglyphs on Private Ranches & Look for Piping Plovers at John Martin Reservoir State Park. A weekend of tours include historical experiences at homesteads and petroglyphs on private ranches, museums and more. Birdwatching features piping plovers, least terns, migrants and black rail with expert guides. Bent County is one of the top places for birding in the entire state with nearly 400 species on the County Bird List. For more information, view the flier and visit the May section of the Las Animas Chamber of Commerce Community Calendar.
Estes Park Elk Festival - Estes Park (late-September/early-October) A two-day festival, as described on the event's website: "Elk Fest offers visitors a chance to view elk during the rutting season in the wild, as well as expand their knowledge of elk. Learn more about elk, their habitats, and how to observe them in the wild. Held in Bond Park, located in downtown Estes Park, Elk Fest will offer bugling competitions, educational areas, seminars, music by the Elktones, Mountain Man Rendezvous, Native American storytelling and music, guided elk viewing tours, and vendors that offer art from oils and pastels, hand made elk-ivory jewelry, scrimshawed antler knives, elk antler lamps and chandeliers, elk hide pillows, silver and gold jewelry, and elk antlers." Find out more from the Estes Park Elk Fest website, including schedules and costs (for elk viewing tours), or write to the event organizers.
Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Festival - Georgetown (second Saturday in November) Celebrate Colorado's 'state mammal' - the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. The Town of Georgetown and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife offer opportunities to watch and learn about one of Colorado’s oldest bighorn sheep herds. Plus, speakers and short wildlife educational programs for the whole family! Artisans and shop owners in Georgetown will showcase their wildlife-related art, gifts, crafts and other goods. Visit the Festival's website for more information.
Christmas Bird Counts- Various locations (mid-December to early-January)More than 50,000 observers participate each year in this all-day census of early-winter bird populations. The results of their efforts are compiled into the longest running database in ornithology, representing over a century of unbroken data on trends of early-winter bird populations across the Americas. Simply put, the Christmas Bird Count, or "CBC", is citizen science in action. Visit the Audubon website for more information and to find your local Christmas Bird Count contacts.
Chatfield Christmas Bird Count - Chatfield State Park (mid-December)Birders, nature enthusiasts and outdoor lovers across the western hemisphere participate in this annual count, which started more than a century ago. Sponsored by the Denver Field Ornithologists and the National Audubon Society, the count includes 24 official count areas, including four within Chatfield State Park. Today, the Christmas Bird Counts are vital in monitoring the status of resident and migratory birds across the western hemisphere. The information, all generated by volunteers, has become a crucial part of the federal government’s database for natural history monitoring. Please contact the area leader to register and receive site specific information: Chatfield State Park, Joey Kellner, 303-978-1748.
If no events are listed below please check back later.
Guided Bird Walk at Barr Lake State ParkWednesday, May 1
Join volunteer naturalist Candice and Tim for a walk in the park. This walk is to introduce park visitors and birders of all levels of experience to the parks birds and wildlife.
Guided Bird Walk at Barr Lake State ParkSaturday, May 4
Join volunteer naturalists Ira and Tammy for a walk in the park. This walk will introduce you to the park birds and wildlife.
Spring Migration Bird Walk @ Cheyenne Mountain State ParkTuesday, May 7
Please join us for a Spring Migration Bird Walk where we will discuss who is singing in the trees and ID birds along the various trails in the park.
Spring Migration Bird Walk @ Cheyenne Mountain State ParkTuesday, May 14
Guided Bird Walk at Barr Lake State ParkWednesday, June 5
Join volunteer naturalists Candice and Tim for a walk in the park. This walk is to introduce park visitors of all levels of experience to the parks birds and wildlife.
Guided Bird Walk at Barr Lake State ParkSaturday, June 15
Join volunteer naturalists Tammy and Ira for a walk in the park. This walk will introduce you to the birds and wildlife at Barr Lake.
Working with private landowners, the Trail helps promote travel to agricultural landscapes, contributing to a diversified income for rural economies. The Birding Trail links these private sites with public parks and open spaces, creating a network of areas visitors can observe birds and other wildlife, as well as archaeological and paleontological treasures.
Download our wildlife viewing tips and checklist to use on your next wildlife viewing adventure.
Select a pinpoint for a description of the location and wildlife viewing information. There are over 200 sites to choose from. Look for the brown wildlife viewing signs at (most) location destinations.
These sites are also published on the official "Colorado State Vacation Guide".
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