A two-year-old pigeon for sale at an online auction has received a bid of GBP 1.2 million – with offers still coming in.
The Pigeon Paradise (PIPA) auction house is organising the sale of 45 competitive pigeons owned by renowned breeder Gaston Van De Wouwer, 76, in the municipality of Berlaar in the Belgian province of Antwerp.
The star attraction is a champion pigeon called New Kim which had a starting bid of EUR 200 (GBP 180).
However, the champion pigeon’s racing days are over and it is now wanted for breeding purposes.
The bird is being kept at a secret location while the auction continues, and is being kept under a 24-hour guard.
Hens are fertile for around 10 years, meaning New Kim has eight years left, and can give birth to between 10 and 14 offspring a year.
New Kim, who won the1st National Ace Pigeon KBDB 2018 race, is two years old.
The sought-after bird has reportedly received one bid of EUR 1.3 million (GBP 1.2 million) from a South African buyer who battled it out with an interested party in the US during the first 90 minutes of the auction.
The eye of the barely 2 year old pigeon ‘New Kim’ that was born in Berlaar and it’s the most expensive pigeon ever 
The wings of the barely 2 year old pigeon ‘New Kim’ that was born in Berlaar and it’s the most expensive pigeon ever
PIPA spokesperson Nikolaas Gyselbrecht said: “The Chinese have not started bidding yet!”
Although bids are still open, the sale would break the previous record of EUR 1.25 million (GBP 1.13 million) in 2019.
On that occasion, another Belgian breeder sold the pigeon to a Chinese construction tycoon.
According to the news source HLN, New Kim is owned by Gaston Van De Wouwer, 76, and his son Kurt.
In 2014, Van De Wouwer sold 300 pigeons for a total of EUR 1.5 million (GBP 1.36 million).
Description: The barely 2 year old pigeon ‘New Kim’ that was born in Berlaar and its the most expensive pigeon ever 
The barely 2 year old pigeon ‘New Kim’ that was born in Berlaar and its the most expensive pigeon ever
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