While pigeons are one of the most common birds we come across in our everyday lives, Belgian pigeon, Armando, is no ordinary bird. For a fact, the iconic pigeon is hailed as the best long-distance racing pigeon “of all time” and carries the nickname of “Lewis Hamilton of pigeons” for its extraordinary wing strength.
And probably that is the reason why Armando collected an unbelievable amount when he was put on sale by broker website PIPA.
In what can be termed as a phenomenal buy, an unidentified Chinese buyer claimed the rights of Armando, by splashing out a staggering $1.4 million (Rs 9.7 crore) at the auction! Yes, let that sink in.
Armando, who is known for his impeccable sense of direction is 5 years old and is nearing his time of retirement.
According to News18, the battle for Armando was an intense affair to witness, as Chinese participants continued to outbid themselves for several hours. The bird’s price went up steadily from about $600,000 in a matter of time until the final deal was locked at $1.4 million.
Here is a video of the bird:
Meet a prized racing pigeon named Armando, that just became the most expensive bird to ever be sold at auction. IN-09TU pic.twitter.com/mjgWSw2XwZ
— CNN Newsource (@CNNNewsource) March 19, 2019
However, Armando was not the only bird that was sold at the auction. Belgian pigeon breeder, Joel Verschoot, who was Armando’s previous owner, sold a total of 178 pigeons at the auction, including seven of Armando’s offspring, collecting an excess of $2.5 million (Rs 17.1 crore).
Wow! It will take a bit of time for me to digest this one.