Pigeons and doves are in the same family of birds known as Columbidae. They are very closely related and some people use the terms interchangeably. However, there are differences between pigeons and doves. Pigeons tend to be larger, stockier birds while doves are generally smaller and slender. The most noticeable difference is in their tails. Pigeons have square tails while doves have pointed tails.
Both pigeons and doves build simple nests out of twigs, grass, or feathers in which the female lays eggs. They can produce multiple broods in a single year. Pigeons and doves are monogamous and mate for life. Both the male and female take turns incubating the eggs. Once the chicks hatch, both parents feed the young “pigeon milk” – a liquid secreted by the crop lining containing fat, protein, and minerals.
Pigeons and doves often live closely alongside humans. Feral pigeon populations thrive in cities across the globe. However, many people also keep domesticated varieties of pigeons and doves. These bird coops provide the birds shelter and safety. So what is the word for a structure housing domesticated pigeons or doves?
What is a Dovecote?
A dovecote, dovecot, or columbarium is a structure built to house and shelter pigeons or doves. The terms dove, pigeon, and columba all refer to the same family of birds. A dovecote provides the birds with nest boxes and ledges on which they can roost and breed. Dovecotes can be free-standing structures in gardens or built right into the walls of homes and other buildings.
Dovecotes have a long history reaching back to ancient times. They were a common feature of homes and farms before the advent of modern poultry farming. Doves and pigeons could provide a reliable source of meat and eggs for the family table. Their feces also made excellent fertilizer for crops. Different types of dovecotes developed regionally, tailored to local climate and architectural styles. However, they all served the same essential functions – housing, feeding, and protecting doves.
History of Dovecotes
One of the earliest known dovecotes was discovered in excavations at Lachish in Israel dating back to approximately 2000 BC. However, ancient Egyptians also kept doves and pigeons. Tablets from ancient Mesopotamia dating around 1500 BC contain references to dovecotes. The Roman writer Marcus Terentius Varro, who lived from 116-27 BC, advised maintaining a dovecote on country farms in his agricultural treatise Rerum Rusticarum.
The presence of dovecotes spreads across Europe during the Middle Ages. Records of dovecotes appear in France and England starting in the 12th century AD. English manor houses typically had a dovecote on the grounds. Many monasteries also built dovecotes to supplement their food supplies.
Dovecotes became status symbols displaying a family’s wealth and resources. Only landowners could afford the expenses of building and maintaining a dovecote. The availability of meat and eggs previously limited to the wealthy expanded as dovecotes grew more common. Geometric ornamentation showcased the artistic touches possible even with such functional structures.
Different regional styles of dovecotes emerged. Beehive-shaped dovecotes were common in Ireland. Planter-type dovecotes built into the sides of houses or barns were popular in Wales. The black-and-white timbered dovecotes of the English East Anglia region have a distinctive aesthetic. French dovecotes often incorporated ornate decorative elements like domes or turrets. Dovecotes form part of the historic architectural heritage across Europe.
Dovecote Design and Construction
Dovecotes come in many shapes and sizes, but all types share certain common architectural features. A sturdy roof protects the birds from predators and shelters them from the elements. Ventilation openings allow air circulation while baffles, nets, or latticework prevent the doves from escaping.
Nesting boxes with multiple compartments line the interior walls. These provide space for individual mating pairs to build nests and lay eggs. The boxes have wooden or stone ledges where parent birds can roost. The ledges allow the birds easy access in and out of the boxes.
The dovecote needs to be cleaned out periodically to remove old nesting materials and droppings. Larger dovecotes incorporate a potence, an emptying port built into an upper floor. Workers can rake waste out through this entryway without disturbing the nests. Other dovecotes have cleaning ports at ground level or removable floor panels for maintenance access.
Dovecotes are constructed from locally available materials like stone, brick, or wood. Small dovecotes may be hexagonal, octagonal or circular. Larger square and rectangular dovecotes can house hundreds or even thousands of birds. Dedicated structures stand alone in gardens, courtyards, and fields. Integrated dovecotes form annexes to homes, barns, and outbuildings.
Uses of Dovecotes
Dovecotes supply fresh meat and eggs. Squabs – newly hatched doves – are a particular delicacy. Pigeon droppings gathered from the dovecote floor provide fertilizer for crops. However, dovecotes also served as living bird banks.
Surplus birds could be captured and sold live at market. Pigeon and dove feathers were used to stuff pillows and mattresses. Some dovecotes even housed messenger pigeons or carrier pigeons used to deliver letters and small packages.
Modern hobbyists and breeders may keep ornamental or performing breeds of doves in backyard dovecotes. However, industrial scale poultry farming has replaced the traditional functions of the dovecote. Nevertheless, these historic structures still have value for avian conservation. Dovecotes can help threatened breeds like the English Carrier Pigeon recover from dwindling populations.
Terms for Specific Types of Dovecotes
While all enclosed structures for housing pigeons and doves can be referred to generally as dovecotes, there are also more specific historic terms used for certain styles of dovecotes.
Columbaria
The Latin word columbarium referred to Roman structures built like mausoleums with niches to hold funeral urns. It translates as “place of doves.” The same word came to be used for large Roman dovecotes.
Columbier
Columbier is the French word for a dovecote. French dovecotes were elaborate stone buildings with steep hipped roofs, domes, or multi-level towers.
Fuie
Fuie is a medieval French term for a circular dovecote with a conical roof. These were built as stand-alone structures.
Pigeonry
Pigeonry is an old English word for a dovecote that houses pigeons rather than doves. The terms were sometimes used interchangeably.
Pigeon Tower
A pigeon tower is a monumental dovecote on a grand scale. These were often quite ornate, built more for show by aristocrats than practical use.
Potence
The potence refers to the L-shaped emptying gallery incorporated into large dovecotes. It allowed waste removal without disturbing the nests.
Culver house
Culver is an archaic word meaning pigeon or dove. Thus a culver house is a small dovecote.
Unique and Unusual Dovecotes Around the World
While the basic function of housing and feeding pigeons remains the same, dovecote styles vary greatly around the world. Different regions made use of local construction methods and added artistic flourishes. Here are some of the more distinctive historic dovecotes that can still be seen today:
Pigeon Tower of Rampur, India
Built in the early 18th century, this four-story tower housed almost 800 pairs of pigeons. The first floor contained water tanks and grain stores. The upper stories contained nesting niches and ledges. The roof of this Islamic-influenced tower features a large bulbous dome.
Ta Min Zhen DoCoMo, China
This ancient dovecote in Kaifeng dates back over 1000 years to the Northern Song dynasty. The name Ta Min Zhen DoCoMo translates to “pagoda for releasing doves.” The five-story hexagonal tower has over 130 rooms for roosting doves.
Dovecote at Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy
The dovecote at the palace of the Bourbon kings of Naples was designed in 1742. This ornate Baroque structure could house over 2000 pigeons. The building features pilasters, balustrades, arched windows and a decorated cornice.
Mamucium Dovecote, England
Built in 1696, this brick dovecote has four corner turrets and a slate pyramid roof. The structure is based on Roman columbaria. It housed doves on Sir Nicholas Mosley’s estate in Manchester and still stands today as a historic site.
Adams National Historic Site Dovecote, USA
This small dovecote from 1761 stood in the gardens of John Adams and John Quincy Adams in Quincy, Massachusetts. The octagonal stone building features a segmented dome roof and Palladian window.
| Dovecote | Location | Type | Time Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon Tower of Rampur | India | Islamic tower | Early 18th century |
| Ta Min Zhen DoCoMo | China | Hexagonal pagoda | Northern Song Dynasty |
| Dovecote at Royal Palace of Caserta | Italy | Baroque structure | 1742 |
| Mamucium Dovecote | England | Brick with turrets | 1696 |
| Adams National Historic Site Dovecote | USA | Octagonal stone | 1761 |
Famous Dovecotes in Literature and Pop Culture
The charming image of a peaceful dovecote full of cooing birds has inspired many literary and artistic works over the centuries. Here are some of the most prominent fictional dovecotes:
Dovecote in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden
In this classic 1911 children’s novel, the lonely and sickly protagonist Mary discovers a hidden walled garden on her uncle’s manor. The garden contains a restored 17th century dovecote that houses nesting doves. Their gentle presence comforts Mary.
Dovecote in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
In Brontë’s famous 1847 Gothic novel, the titular heroine Jane takes refuge in a hidden dovecote on the grounds of Thornfield Hall after fleeing the attic where Mr. Rochester has hidden his mad wife.
Dovecote in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
In the first chapter of Tolkien’s 1937 book, Gandalf visits the home of hobbit Bilbo Baggins and blows smoke rings that sail up into the sky “over The Hill, across The Water, through The Old Dovecote and back into Gandalf’s hand.”
Dovecote Prison in Batman Comics
Many villains from the Batman series including the Joker, Scarecrow, and Penguin have escaped from or been imprisoned at the fictional Dovecote Prison in Gotham City. The imposing Gothic architecture of the prison resembles a giant historic dovecote.
Dovecote in Gettysburg Film
In this 1993 historical drama about the decisive Civil War battle, Union and Confederate forces fight in and around a large white-painted dovecote adjacent to a house and barn. The intense scenes depict the dovecote as caught up in the surrounding violence.
Significance of Dovecotes Today
While no longer essential fixtures on farms and estates, dovecotes still have value today beyond mere historic interest. Preserving these historic structures helps new generations connect to the past. Dovecotes also support biodiversity by providing habitat for threatened domesticated breeds. Hobbyists find dovecotes ideal for housing ornamental doves. Backyard dovecotes offer an opportunity to observe and learn about these gentle birds up close.
Repairing and restoring ancient dovecotes also provides meaningful work for preservation specialists. In many cases, restored dovecotes don’t actually house resident birds but serve as monuments to local history and architecture. Even unused, the sight of an old dovecote can spark the imagination. These relics of bygone country life evoke images of a quieter, slower time before modern industrialized farming.
When you catch sight of a weathered dovecote in a field or garden, it almost feels like stepping back through a window in time. The structure represents a tangible connection to the everyday lives and customs of people in earlier eras. For this reason, dovecotes deserve continued preservation even in our rapidly changing world. These humble historic birdhouses help tell the ongoing story of our relationship with these close avian companions – the graceful, cooing pigeon and dove.
Conclusion
From ancient Middle Eastern civilizations to medieval Europe, dovecotes have housed domesticated pigeons and doves for thousands of years. Also known as columbaria, fuies, or culver houses, these bird-keeping structures provided a valuable source of meat and fertilizer. Different regional dovecote designs emerged, from Chinese pagodas to English turreted towers. While no longer an essential farm feature today, historic dovecotes remain culturally significant. Protecting these unique buildings honors the long bond between humans and the peaceful dove.
