Rare white falcon sells for Dh2.1 million, setting Abu Dhabi auction record

A rare white falcon has sold for Dh2.1 million ($571,000) at an Abu Dhabi auction, setting what organisers said was the highest price ever paid for a falcon at auction.

The Gyr Pure Ultra White, which originated in the United States, was sold on Sunday during the final falcon auction of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2026. Its sale surpassed the previous auction record for a pure mottled Gyrfalcon, which reached $467,000 at the International Falcon Breeders Auction in Riyadh in 2021.

The record capped a run of expensive sales at this year's exhibition. Two other birds also crossed the Dh1 million mark. An A Qarmousha Pure Ultra White sold for Dh1.5 million during the fifth auction on August 29, setting the exhibition's previous record. A Gyr Pure Ultra White falcon chick then fetched Dh1.1 million the following day.

The latest record-holder is prized for its exceptionally rare white plumage and pure lineage. Falcon auctions at the exhibition have attracted local and international breeders offering birds selected for bloodlines, physical characteristics and performance.

The exhibition's first auction on August 15 also drew strong bidding. A Jeer Pure Super White sold for Dh250,000 after the winning bidder raised the offer from Dh210,000 in a single move.

ADIHEX's 2026 programme includes eight live auctions held before and during the exhibition, as well as an online auction for international bidders. The programme features 55 leading local and international falcon breeding and care farms, up from 46 last year. The event, held at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, is organised by ADNEC Group in strategic partnership with the Emirates Falconers' Club. The auctions remain among the exhibition's main events, bringing together falconers, breeders and collectors and reflecting the continued demand for high-quality birds and the enduring role of falconry in Emirati and Gulf heritage.