What It’s Like to Own a Falcon in the UAE

by Barbara Yakimchuk

Owning a Falcon In the UAE: What Is It Really Like?

21 Aug 2025

In August 2025, a falcon auction in the UAE grabbed headlines when one buyer snapped up two birds for 20,000 AED and 38,000 AED. What few reports mentioned, however, was that a Garmousha Pure at the same auction sold for 350,000 AED. And if that already sounds like a lot — think again. Back in 2023, the price of a single falcon reached a staggering 600,000 AED — enough to buy a one-bedroom apartment in JVC or a brand-new BMW 5 Series.

But this story isn’t about the price tags. It is about understanding why falcons are so highly valued in the region. What do locals look for when choosing a new bird? And what are falcons today — beloved companions, fierce sporting competitors, luxury status symbols, or cultural icons?

Source: thenationalnews.com

Falcons auction: How are they held?

The key falcon auction in the UAE is ADIHEX, held every year at the end of summer, just before the falconry season, which peaks in winter when most major competitions run from October through to late January.

The auction itself spans eight live days. In advance, around 1,000 falcons are assessed, with only the great specimens — both beautiful and showing good racing ability — selected for sale.

And while the prices mentioned earlier may already seem high (I wanted to catch your attention, but let’s put things into perspective), the record was set in 2022: 1.01 million AED for a Pure Gyr American Ultra-White falcon.

Source: adnecgroup.ae

What do buyers look for?

To answer this, I turned not to the internet but to someone who knows falcons far better than most of us: Khalifa Mohamed Al Ali. He doesn’t keep falcons himself, but many of his close friends do — and he will be guiding us with his short comments throughout the rest of the story. I asked him, why do some falcons reach such high prices at auction?

The falcon's price really comes down to lineage. Just like with racehorses, a strong bloodline makes all the difference. Also, the place of origin and the way the bird has been trained add a lot of value. And then there is the question of whether the falcon was caught in the wild — which often pushes the price even higher. Wild birds tend to be faster, sharper, and more instinctive than those raised in captivity.— Khalifa Mohamed Al Ali

When it comes to falcon prices, what truly drives their value is the bird’s ability to compete and hunt. After all, why would anyone invest in the fastest and strongest bird just to keep it sitting at home?

Hunting has always been a big part of local tradition — and while it is no longer about survival or putting food on the table, it remains popular. Traditionally, falconers hunted houbara bustards in the desert, but today this is restricted by UAE law. Instead, falconers train their birds in special reserves or take part in organised races.

Another option — and the reason falcons are sometimes given priority when travelling on local flights — is that many locals fly abroad during the hunting season to train their birds. Popular destinations include Morocco, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, where houbaras still migrate.

When it comes to competitions, the main one is the President's Cup Falcon Competition. It features multiple race formats that test speed, endurance, and training. (Interesting fact: in a dive, a falcon can reach speeds of over 300 km/h, making it the fastest creature on Earth.)

The stakes are also high: in 2019, the prize pool reached 25.7 million AED and 73 luxury cars — making it one of the most lucrative heritage competitions in the world. Another major event, the Mohammed bin Rashid Falconry Cup, had a prize pool that exceeded 23 million AED. But if you ask me whether it is all about the money, my answer is a firm no. The real value lies in culture — and this is where the true stories of falconry begin.

Source: gulftoday.ae

Falcons as a cultural tradition

The cultural significance of falcons dates back thousands of years, to the time when Bedouins on the Arabian Peninsula first trained them for hunting. What may come as a surprise is that falcons were never treated as pets. After the hunting season ended in spring, they were released back into the wild — often returning to their owners in the autumn. This bond between falcon and falconer is still reflected today. In fact, one of the categories in local competitions specifically judges the interaction between the bird and its handler.

Source: dayoutdubai.ae

In the UAE, falcons are part of a living cultural tradition, strongly supported by the government. The initiatives are broad: from backing both local and global conservation programmes — such as the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme, which has returned nearly 2,000 falcons to their natural habitats — to establishing world-class facilities like the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital and specialised falcon clinics.

The government has also made falcon ownership more practical through the introduction of falcon passports, which allow the birds to travel abroad with their owners.

So, are falcons usually kept as pets, for competitions, or as cultural symbols today? That is what I asked Khalifa.

Photo: Dan Kitwood

Falcons are anything but “pets” in the usual sense. They demand highly specialised care and training, making them far more than companions. Today, they are prized as competitive athletes, heritage icons, and symbols of national pride.— Khalifa Mohamed Al Ali

Want to buy a falcon for yourself? Here is what you need to know first

Owning a falcon in the UAE is tightly regulated by the government. You can’t simply walk into the nearest pet shop and pick one up like a hamster or a parrot. Every falcon must be microchipped, registered, and issued with an official UAE falcon passport.

Falcons are sold only through the Abu Dhabi Falcon Auction, the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Falcon Souqs, or by specially licensed shops — and even there, numbers are limited. Non-Emiratis are also allowed to own falcons, but the process is complex and highly specific. The price is another factor: falcons usually start at around 15,000 AED, with elite birds selling for far more.

But let’s say you have managed to navigate all these hurdles — what comes next?

Falcons do require special care, and quite a lot of it. First, housing. A falcon needs a proper mews — basically an aviary or dedicated room that is quiet, well-ventilated, and always kept clean. Inside, there are padded perches to protect their feet. Falconers also use leather straps, called jesses, to handle the bird, and a hood to keep it calm when it is not flying.
Then comes diet. Falcons eat raw meat — usually quail, pigeon, day-old chicks, or rabbit. And it isn't just the meat; they need whole prey, bones and all, to get the right nutrients. Health care is another big part. Falcons need regular check-ups with specialised vets. Common issues include lung infections, foot sores, and parasites. During moulting, when they grow new feathers, they need extra rest and a carefully balanced diet. And finally — training and exercise. A falcon can’t just sit in an aviary. It has to fly.— Khalifa Mohamed Al Ali