Australian Bird Fair co-ordinator Tracey Valenzisi said the heat and global financial crisis could have contributed to the drop in attendance.

However, it seemed to be a general trend across the board.

"Numbers were down and after speaking to a couple of the guys who travel around, they were speaking about going to O'Reilly's Bird Week and numbers were down there too," Mrs Valzenisi said.

"O'Reilly's is the most renowned bird week in Australia and they didn't need Sean Dooley.

"It could be the things that have happened in the last 12 months. A lot of people who go to these events are retirees so it could have affected them.

"It is a little bit disappointing. We had a steady increase by 100-odd each year (before this year).

Despite the dip in numbers, those who did attend were impressed by the event, which this year focussed on parrots.

As well as hosting a range of national and international speakers through seminars and lectures at Yanco Agricultural Institute, the bird fair included a school day last Friday, numerous exhibitors and stallholders of products relating to birding, a meet and greet barbecue at Fivebough Wetlands, dinner and various bird watching tours.

On the Saturday, comedian and birdwatcher Sean Dooley hosted Flockwiz, pitting the knowledge of some of the speakers against each other.

"The comments we got back were about how fantastically well organised it was and the quality of speakers," Mrs Valenzisi said.

"Even the people on the displays and stalls said the same thing.

"Overall it was very successful. There were no major hiccups, everything just flowed."

Plans are already underway for the fifth Australian Bird Fair in 2010, albeit with an earlier time slot.

"We will move to the third weekend in September (17, 18 and 19) due to the heat," Mrs Valenzisi said. "It is still a good time for the birds."

Next year the fair will focus on birds of prey and their environment.

The president of the Raptor Association attended this year and the co-ordinators have already spoken to him for ideas.

"We are now two months behind the eight-ball," Mrs Valenzisi said.

"A couple of major presenters when we were talking about next year said they would have to come and present next year."