More than 1,500 birds were on exhibition at the 33rd annual Bird Breeders Association show on Sunday.

Several types of parrots, canaries, song birds and exotic species were on display at the main hall of MountCarmel Hospital.

Association president Joseph Sawyer said the exhibition was also a competition, with prizes awarded for different species, as well as for colouration, and song.

Mr Sawyer said some 130 association members would be travelling to Portugal later this week to take part in a similar competition on the international stage, the Bird Breeding World Championship.

“Just like there is a world cup of football there is also one for birds, and many Maltese participate,” he said.

Mr Sawyer said Maltese breeders were no strangers to the breeding ‘world cup’ and would be hoping to better last year’s results. Maltese breeders, he said, had won 11 medals, six of which were gold.

Twenty-five countries will take part in this year’s championship, with more than 19,000 entries.