A striking white falcon has become the most expensive bird ever sold at auction, fetching Dh2.1 million (roughly $571,000) at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition, according to organisers. Abu Dhabi falcon auction world record
The winning bid, placed on Sunday during ADIHEX 2026’s closing falcon sale, went to a Gyr Pure Ultra White bred in the United States.
The breed is highly sought after among falconry enthusiasts for its rare white feathering and unblemished bloodline, qualities that command premium prices in a market where pedigree and appearance carry as much weight as hunting ability.
The sale smashed the previous global benchmark of $467,000, set in 2021 for a pure mottled Gyrfalcon at an auction in Riyadh, underlining how quickly prices for elite falcons have climbed in the Gulf region over the past few years.
This year’s ADIHEX has produced a string of headline-grabbing sales. Just over a week earlier, on August 29, a Qarmousha Pure Ultra White went under the hammer for Dh1.5 million, briefly holding the exhibition’s top spot before Sunday’s record-breaker.
A day later, a Gyr Pure Ultra White chick sold for Dh1.1 million, while the very first auction of the exhibition, held on August 15, saw a Jeer Pure Super White jump from Dh210,000 to Dh250,000 in a single bid.
Organisers say the surge in high-value sales reflects intense demand among breeders and collectors competing for birds selected on bloodline, physical traits and performance.
This year’s programme features 55 falcon breeding and care farms from the UAE and abroad, up from 46 in 2025, spread across eight live auctions plus an online option for international buyers unable to attend in person.
Held at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi and run by ADNEC Group alongside the Emirates Falconers’ Club, ADIHEX remains one of the region’s most prominent showcases for falconry, a practice deeply woven into Emirati and wider Gulf heritage.
The auctions, in particular, have grown into a key barometer of the sport’s enduring commercial and cultural weight, drawing collectors from across the world each year. UAE Interact
