A pigeon from a Belgian farm was sold to a Chinese buyer at a record price of EUR 1.6 million in an online auction organized by the specialized platform "Pigeon Paradise" (PIPA).

New Kim, a female pigeon sourced from a famous farm in the Northern Antwerp region, became the most expensive bird of its kind in the world. In 2019, another bird from the Flanders region, the male pigeon Armando, sold at the price of EUR 1.25 million to the same buyer, according to PIPA officials.

The founder and general manager of PIPA, Nicholas Giselbrecht, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that the price at which the pigeon was sold constituted a "world record," adding that "any officially documented sale did not achieve this price" prior to today.

"I did not think that this amount could be reached," he added, expecting that the buyer, whose identity was not revealed, would be "undoubtedly willing" to marry the female and male pigeons. He noted that this female pigeon belongs to a prestigious lineage.

New Kim, the two year old pigeon, was initially offered for sale at EUR 200, and used to participate in pigeon competitions.

European elite pigeons have gained popularity all over the world in recent years, especially in China where pigeon sport can make for a large investment.

The interest of wealthy buyers from Asia or the Gulf countries has led to a rise in the prices of these birds, whose specialinstincts allow them to return to the point from which they set off after they had traveled hundreds of kilometers.

Pigeon breeding is a tradition rooted in Belgium, as well as in the Netherlands and northern France.

Giselbrecht noted that there are about 20,000 homing pigeon-keepers in Belgium alone who are dedicated to participating in high-profile competitions.