Skip to content
TopPalomas

How it works: bidding, buying and selling pigeons

Buying or selling pigeons on TopPalomas is simple. Everything is sold within an auction.

TopPalomas is an auction platform for racing and competition pigeons that connects breeders, pigeon-racing clubs and enthusiasts across Spain, Latin America and the rest of Europe. Every pigeon is listed within an auction, along with its photos, pedigree, ring number and the details of the breeder offering it.

Access to the platform is free and bidding happens in real time: the price and the remaining time update on their own, with no need to reload the page. TopPalomas puts buyer and seller in touch once the auction closes; payment and delivery are arranged directly between you. On the blog we publish guides on breeding, pedigrees and pigeon racing.

Buying or bidding

1

Create your account

Sign up for free in under a minute and complete your profile. Only people over 18 can take part.

2

An admin verifies your profile

Before you can bid or sell, your account is validated by an administrator. Add your identity document in your profile and we'll email you as soon as it is approved: you will then show up as a verified breeder. The document is never displayed publicly.

3

Explore the auctions

Enter an auction and browse its pigeons: photos, pedigree, ring, bloodline and details of each pigeon.

4

Bid or buy now

Place your bid in real time, or buy instantly if the pigeon is a buy-now lot.

5

Win and arrange

If you are the highest bidder at closing, you receive the organiser's details to arrange payment and delivery.

If someone bids in the last minute, that pigeon's closing time is extended by 5 minutes so nobody misses the chance to respond.

Selling or auctioning your pigeons

You bring the pigeons and we do the rest: TopPalomas sets up and runs the auction for you. And if you would rather organise it yourself —clubs, federations and derby organisers—, get in touch with us.

1

Tell us what you want to sell

Write to us with the pigeons you want to auction or sell. We will tell you how to approach it and which auction suits them best.

2

We set up the auction

We take care of everything: start and closing dates, cover image, description and who appears as the organiser. You just give the go-ahead before it goes live.

3

We prepare each pigeon's listing

Photos, pedigree, ring number, sex, age, bloodline and starting price. You decide whether each pigeon goes to auction or to buy-now.

4

We publish it and you follow the bids

The auction appears in the public listing and on the home page. You follow the bids live and, at closing, you receive the winner's details for every pigeon to arrange payment and delivery.

Trust and transparency

Verified identity

Every account is reviewed by an administrator before it can bid or sell. Approved profiles carry the verified breeder badge.

Your data stays private

Your identity document, phone number and email never appear on your public profile. Contact details are only shared between buyer and seller once the sale closes.

No last-second sniping

The price and countdown update for everyone at the same time, and a last-minute bid extends the closing time by 5 minutes. Nobody wins just by bidding as the clock runs out.

Real-time alerts

We notify you by email, push notification and inside the site when someone outbids you, when you win a pigeon or when an auction is cancelled.

Deal directly with the breeder

Access to the platform is free and TopPalomas does not handle the money: payment and delivery are arranged directly between buyer and seller.

Frequently asked questions

How much does TopPalomas cost?

Access to the platform is free: creating an account, browsing auctions and bidding cost nothing. TopPalomas does not process payments, so the price of the pigeon is agreed and paid directly to the seller.

Does an administrator have to verify my profile before I can bid?

Yes. Anyone over 18 can register, but bidding, selling or auctioning pigeons requires an administrator to validate your account first. Add your identity document from your profile and you will get an email as soon as it is approved. We only use the document to verify your identity and prevent fraud: it is never shown publicly.

What happens if someone bids in the final seconds?

That pigeon's closing time is automatically extended by 5 minutes so you always get the chance to respond. This anti-sniping protection applies every time a bid comes in with less than 5 minutes to go.

Can I withdraw a bid?

No. Every bid is binding and constitutes a firm offer to buy: if you are the highest bidder at closing, you commit to completing the purchase on the terms agreed with the seller.

What is the difference between an auction lot and a buy-now lot?

With an auction pigeon you bid against other users until the closing time and the highest bid wins. A buy-now pigeon has a fixed price and is yours the moment you confirm the purchase, with no need to wait for the close.

How is the pigeon paid for and delivered?

When the sale closes, buyer and seller receive each other's contact details and agree between them on the payment method and how the bird is handed over or shipped. TopPalomas is an intermediation platform: it can mediate if a dispute arises, but it does not process payments or arrange transport.

What happens if a pigeon gets no bids?

At closing time that pigeon is marked as cancelled and is not sold. The organiser can list it again in a later auction.

What information do I see for each pigeon?

Its photos, ring number, pedigree as a photo or PDF, sex, age, bloodline, starting price and current price, who is offering it and who organises the auction, plus the bid history and the time left before closing.

Can I run my own auction or derby?

Yes. Normally we take care of it: you tell us what you want to auction and TopPalomas sets up and runs the auction for you. And if you would rather run it yourself —clubs, federations and derby organisers—, write to us from the contact page and we will set you up as an auctioneer so you can create it, upload your pigeons and follow the bids.

Are you a club, a derby organiser or a pigeon fancier?

Get in touch and we'll take care of setting up your auctions and managing the bids. You just look after the pigeons.

Contact us
View auctionsCreate account