Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
What makes a falcon worth Dh15,000, Dh50,000, or Dh250,000?
Khalid bin Saifan Al Muhairi paid Dh250,000 for a Super White Gyr Pure just last weekend as the much-anticipated Falcon Auctions series kicked off ahead of this year’s Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX).
For Al Muhairi — who wore two hats at the event, bidding on birds one moment and auctioneering the next — a falcon’s value starts with its bloodline, and more specifically, what that bloodline can pass on to future generations.
The amount a falconer is willing to pay ultimately comes down to supply and demand, and, crucially, how important a particular bloodline is to his breeding programme, he told Aletihad.
“If there is something we really need and we find it, we will not leave it easily,” he said.
“Even if someone bids Dh1 million, that would not necessarily be a problem if it is a bloodline we need.”
At the auction, it was a Gyr Pure that caught his eye, prized for its bloodline and distinctive traits. Gyr Pures, he explained, sit at the top of the pecking order because they form the foundation for breeding hybrid lines.
“It is one of the main bloodlines used for crossbreeding and producing hybrids, and without this bird, you cannot produce some of those hybrid lines,” Al Muhairi said.
When the traits of two falcon types are combined, the resulting hybrid tends to be stronger, more resilient, and particularly suited to hunting, rather than further breeding, he added.
Gyr Pures originate from colder climates such as Siberia and Canada, and come in black, white, and cream. Some colours are especially rare, Al Muhairi noted, as was the case with the bird that won his bid.
Their cold-climate origins mean these falcons need special care to survive the UAE summer, when they must be shielded from the heat. Versatility adds to their appeal too, since a single bird can serve multiple purposes.
“This bird can be used for beauty competitions, racing, and hunting — for me, it’s three in one,” Al Muhairi said.
From a Local Breeder’s View
Producing a falcon with such distinctive characteristics is a long and painstaking process, and local breeder Talal Al Saadi knows this well.
“The journey starts with breeding, then the eggs, incubation and hatching. After that, the young falcon stays with its parents before moving to the stage where it learns how to fly and hunt,” he told Aletihad.
Al Saadi is taking part in ADIHEX for the first time, bringing Gyr Pure, Garmousha Pure, and Gyr Taba entries that reflect his sharp focus on local birds selected carefully for bloodline, colour, and weight.
Breeding practices are evolving, he said, with growing attention to genetics and bloodlines pushing UAE production to increasingly high standards.
“Every year, there is some development. Local production today has reached standards that many people did not expect before.”
Still, achieving a precise combination of bloodline, colour, and physical traits takes years of selective breeding across generations.
“A breeder can wait around four years to produce the falcon he is looking for, with the same rare colour, characteristics and bloodline. It takes time to reach those specific qualities,” Al Saadi said.
Purpose Matters
For Emirati falconer Hadi Al Mansori, no single trait explains what makes a falcon expensive, as it all boils down to purpose.
“Some falcons are used for hunting and these are generally among the lower-priced birds, while others are bought for breeding. Breeding birds can have a different value because people are looking for new bloodlines, colours and types that can improve the production they already have.”
For breeders, then, buying a valuable falcon isn’t just about landing one exceptional bird but about what that bird can bring to an entire breeding programme.
“Every farm owner is buying birds to improve the level of the falcons they have, bringing in new bloodlines, new colours, and new types to strengthen their production,” Al Mansori said.
Competitive track records add another layer of value. With falcon competitions held across the UAE year-round, certain bloodlines and farms build reputations through repeated wins.
“If a particular type continually achieves leading positions, or a farm has a strong record in racing and keeps winning, the value of its falcons rises.”
Artificial intelligence is also making inroads into this age-old pursuit, though Al Mansori said its use is still in its early days. “We started using AI about a year ago in a few areas: recording information about the birds and monitoring their behaviour ahead of the breeding season.”
As times change, so has the idea of the “ideal falcon”, Al Mansori said.
“Training methods are completely different today, and the environment around the bird has changed. Now, before you buy a falcon, you know whether you want it for beauty competitions, speed racing, hunting or purely for breeding,” he explained.
“Every buyer knows exactly what he’s looking for.”
2026 Falcon Auctions in Abu Dhabi
The first of eight Falcon Auctions for ADIHEX was held over the weekend at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. A second round is scheduled for August 22–23, with the remaining four auctions taking place during ADIHEX 2026, running from August 28 to September 6.
