In November 2020 a racing pigeon called New Kim sold for a world record €1.6 million (about $1.9 million).
In 2019 a buyer, also from China, paid €1.25 million (about $1.4 million) for a champion pigeon called Armando (opens in new tab), a top long-distance racer.
Prices like these reflect growing interest from wealthy buyers in recent decades, especially in China, which has brought a lot of money into the sport.
You don’t have to be a multimillionaire to get into pigeon racing, though. The sport has strong roots in working-class culture, so for those of us with less money to spare you can typically buy reasonable racing pigeons starting at around $200/£150.
Racing Pigeon Pricing Factors
The price depends on a number of factors, such as:
- Their racing pedigree – how many races have they won.
- Their parents – if their parents were champion fliers this will significantly increase their price.
- Their health
- Their age
- Whether they are male or female – good fliers that are male usually go for more than equally good female fliers because a cock can father young with several hens. That said, the pigeon that sold for $1.9 million was actually female.
- Where you buy them from – there are hundreds of places where you can buy racing pigeons, but far fewer have a track record of breeding champion fliers. If you buy from a loft that has decades of experience in breeding winning pigeons then expect to pay more.
Racing Pigeon Pricing Guide
Below is a (very) rough guide of the pedigree of racing pigeon you could expect to get at different price points:
| Price | Racing Pigeon |
|---|---|
| Up to $300 | At this price range, it is possible to get a pigeon that is related to a national champion from some breeders, however at lower price points you are more likely to get pigeons that are well suited to racing but have no winners in their family history. |
| $300 – $1000 | At this price, you could get a pigeon bred by a champion breeder who has a track record of breeding pigeons that are capable of performing very well in big races. |
| $1000-$10,000 | Pigeons in this price range are likely to be bred by champion breeders, they are also likely to be related to pigeons that have achieved success in international races, more often than not both their mother and father will be high-calibre international racers. |
| $10,000-$50,000 | At this price point, you get pigeons that have a track record of success or at least are related to pigeons that have had success in some of the biggest global races. |
| $50,000+ | These pigeons will include winners of the biggest races in the world. |
Record prices
The most expensive pigeon sold so far is New Kim, a Belgian hen bought for €1.6 million in November 2020. The previous record was Armando, sold for €1.25 million in 2019. Before that, a six-figure sale was headline news, such as the €310,000 paid for Bolt in 2013.
Most record birds have come from Belgian lofts and were bought at online auctions by buyers in China, where pigeon racing has a large following. Buyers often use champion birds for breeding rather than racing. Armando, for example, went straight to stud after the sale.
Last updated 30 October 2026 · Racing