Most expensive falcon of 2026 sells for $346,000 in Saudi Arabia

A Canadian-bred falcon sold for $346,000 at an auction near Riyadh, marking the most expensive bird of 2026 and the second-highest sale in the event's history. The three-quarter gyr Super White juvenile falcon, bred by Jim Wilson Falcons in Ontario, Canada, was auctioned on the seventh night of the International Falcon Breeders Auction in Malham, about 65 kilometers north of the Saudi capital.

The bidding started at 200,000 riyals ($53,000) and escalated to 1.3 million riyals ($346,000) as buyers battled for the prized bird. This purchase adds to the local lineage, expected to impact generations. Nova Falcon Company, which acquired the falcon, described its acquisition as priceless. Another bird from the same Canadian farm, a pure gyrfalcon chick, fetched 150,000 riyals (about $40,000) in the same auction.

Despite its high price, the falcon fell short of the auction's record, which stands at 1.75 million riyals ($467,000) paid in 2021 for an Ultra White three-quarter pure gyrfalcon. Falconry has ancient cultural roots in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, but auctions like the one in Malham have also evolved into international marketplaces for specialist breeders and wealthy collectors.

The birds sold at the auction gain eligibility for participation in popular falcon races in Saudi Arabia, with prize money totaling around $12.5 million across the racing season. The auction attracted breeding farms, buyers, and falconry enthusiasts from Saudi Arabia and abroad and will continue until August 25.