March 19 (UPI) -- A racing pigeon auctioned online fetched a record-breaking bid of $1.4 million from a Chinese buyer, the auctioneer said.
PIPA, the website that organized the auction for Belgian breeder Joel Verschoot, said a pigeon named Armando was purchased by a Chinese buyer for $1.4 million, the highest price ever paid for a racing pigeon.
The website said it expected Armando, considered to be "the best long distance pigeon of all time," to sell for a large amount, but officials were shocked by the size of the final bid.
"This type of champion is rarely offered for sale," the site said.
The previous record holder was a pigeon named Nadine, which sold for more than $450,000 at a 2017 auction. The buyer in that case was also a Chinese pigeon enthusiast.