The sale, which has grown into a marketplace for some of the state’s top breeders, will feature a big range of birds, from budgies to rare parrots.

Two of the regular visitors to the Orange sale at the Orange Showground’s Agricultural Pavilion are bird lovers Margaret Thomas and Pam Tebbatt from the Blue Mountains.

“We have been coming here for many years,” said Ms Tebbatt.

While all the other birds were caged by their owners yesterday afternoon, for eight-year-old Paddy the eclectus parrot, decked out in his harness, the experience was quite different.

“We hand-reared him from a baby and he goes just about everywhere with us,” Ms Tebbatt said.

“As soon as we got to Orange everyone was saying hello to him as he’s so well known.He’s been coming here for years.”

She said no one should underestimate the ability of a bird to connect and communicate with an owner who cares for it.

“He is just like an intelligent five-year-old and we are always looking for things to keep him entertained,” Ms Tebbatt said.

Parkes breeder Anthony Davis, who has brought 45 birds to Orange to be sold, concentrates his breeding program on developing colours in his princess parrots and Indian ring neck parrots.

“I got my first bird when I was 10,” he said.

Orange Bird Sale starts today at 10am and is expected to be finished by 2pm.

Entry is $2 at the gate.