Illegal Falcon Trade: How Middle East Racing Demand is Fuelling the Theft of British Peregrines

An exclusive investigation into the multi-million-pound shadow industry smuggling wild peregrine falcons from UK cliffs to Emirati palaces.

By Phoebe Weston and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ)

Executive Summary: Beneath the glamour of international falcon racing lies a sophisticated smuggling ring. Exclusive data reveals how British nature is being “laundered” to satisfy a booming demand for wild birds in the Gulf, threatening the recovery of one of the world’s most iconic predators.

The Gilded Cage: Wealth, Status, and Avian Supercars

Beneath the high-intensity floodlights of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition, the atmosphere is one of hushed reverence and immense wealth. Here, the ancient Bedouin tradition of falconry has evolved from a desert survival skill into a modern display of supreme status and financial power.

In a restricted glass enclosure labeled the Elite Falcons Hall, the air conditioning hums quietly. Four young birds of prey sit perched on velvet, their eyes covered by ornate, hand-stitched leather hoods to keep them calm. These are not merely birds; they are the avian equivalent of hypercars.

They belong to an Emirati sheikh and are treated with more care than most humans. These elite falcons possess Emirati passports to facilitate seamless international travel, fly on private jets, and have access to medical facilities that rival world-class human hospitals.

• The Cost: A prime American falcon at this exhibition carries a price tag of AED 350,000 (£71,000).
• The Transport: The finest specimens are transported in the passenger seats of Bentleys and Range Rovers, outfitted with custom perches between the front seats.

However, behind this veneer of luxury lies a grim reality. An investigation by The Guardian and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) has uncovered a “grey market” pipeline. It is a trade route paved with forged documents and stolen nature, leading from the windswept cliffs of Great Britain directly to the private aviaries of the Gulf elite.

The Silent Theft: Britain’s Vanishing Chicks

Thousands of miles away from the manicured displays of Abu Dhabi, a crime wave is sweeping through the rugged landscapes of Northern England and Scotland. It is a crime of silence and stealth. Conservationists and the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) have identified a systematic pattern: wild Peregrine Falcon chicks are vanishing.

These thefts are not crimes of opportunity committed by amateurs. The nests are located on precarious cliff ledges or high in the canopy of ancient trees, accessible only to those with professional climbing gear, abseiling expertise, and specific ornithological knowledge.

According to investigators, these chicks are stolen to feed the insatiable demand of the Middle Eastern market. Once taken, they are “laundered” into the legal trade system using fabricated paperwork, effectively erasing their wild origins and rebranding them as captive-bred specimens.

The Statistics of Loss

Exclusive data shared with the investigation team by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) paints a stark picture of this wildlife trafficking crisis.

Metric	Data (2014–2023)
Total Reported Raids	126 reports of nest interference
Confirmed Thefts	21 cases verified via DNA, camera, or witnesses
Suspected Link	Almost all linked to the Peregrine Falcon trade

These numbers likely represent only a fraction of the true total, as many remote nests in the Highlands and rural counties go unmonitored by conservationists.

The Market Drivers: The Obsession with “Wild” Blood

To understand the theft, one must understand the buyer. The demand for wild-caught British birds is driven by specific cultural and performance preferences within the Middle Eastern falconry community.

The cold, harsh climate of the British Isles is evolutionarily designed to produce birds of exceptional resilience, size, and speed. In the high-stakes world of falcon racing—a sport where millions of dollars in prize money are on the line—fractions of a second matter.

The “Purity” Myth

Despite the availability of legally captive-bred birds, there is a persistent belief among purists in the Gulf that wild birds possess a “warrior spirit” and genetic superiority that farm-raised birds lack.

He elaborated on the demographics of the buyers, noting a distinct preference among Emirati falconers for wild-caught stock.

• The Reality: This sentiment was corroborated by interviews with four different farm owners and falcon sellers, as well as two active falconers at the Abu Dhabi exhibition, who admitted off-record that wild birds are the gold standard.

The Export Boom

This demand has driven a massive surge in the legal (and illegal) export of raptors from the UK.

• 2023 Exports: 4,000 peregrine or peregrine hybrids.
• 2024 Estimates: Police project this number has risen to 5,000.
• Destination: In 2023, 88% of all falcons exported from the UK were shipped directly to the United Arab Emirates (Source: CITES database).

Ecological Cost: “Battery Chickens” of the Sky

The Peregrine Falcon is a species that has only lately recovered from the point of oblivion. In the 1950s, the population was devastated by the fungicide DDT. Through legal protection and the barring of dangerous chemicals, the UK population has stabilized at around 1,750 parentage dyads.

still, conservationists advise that this recovery is fragile.

still, the vagabond would again be under trouble of extermination, “ If a eyeless eye was turned. Now they’re hovered by rapacity, ” Ross warns.

George Smith, a stager raptor examiner who oversees 60 nests in south- east Scotland, sees the impact first- hand.” Locally we’re seeing a decline in vagabond falcons,” he says.” When they vanish, the food chain gets wrecked.”

Smith, who has devoted nearly 40 times to these catcalls, estimates that in his patch alone, four nests containing ten sprats were raided this time. He draws a grim parallel to the history” Nest marauding was bad in the early 70s, and now it has returned.”