Pigeon Return

[DSomerville]

Good Afternoon,

I will be starting a large project for a contractor customer. He is building his own home to look like a new England barn.

He mentioned having "pigeon returns" I am not familiar with the term and can not find any information on it

Any Suggestions???

Thanks

[David J. Potter]

Ask him what he means, terms are very regional and even the same term can mean different things to different people in the same city.

DJP

[RMorrison]

Try using the search word "dovecote." For example: http://www.gardensheds.com/int_ext_options.html

could be treatment on the gable vents, or could be more like a cupola: http://www.grpfibreglass.co.uk/dovecotes.htm

See if you can get him to show you a picture of what he has in mind.

[dgavin]

maybe something like this

[HEH]

He may actually want a Pigeon Loft. In Europe it is a big deal. Here we usually use heavy gauge wire or even 1/2 inch copper tubing that swings one way. when the birds come to eat they have to enter and can not leave until the Pigeon owner sets them out to fly. There are many designs, you should definetly ask him for more details.

[Ray C]

Using Dennis’s picture, flatten out the top of the return,,, no roof but instead a copper of lead cap
Good spot for the pigeons to nest and rot out the overhang. In the northeast you’ll see many of these returns on old houses with chicken wire around that area to stop the pigeons from nesting,,,,,,,,,,, “pigeon walk returns”

I could be wrong about the above, but, if I had been asked to draw a home with those returns,,, that’s what the client would get until I heard otherwise.

I have a picture of this somewhere, if I find it I’ll post it

HTH Ray

[Al Launier]

I think dgavin has it. These are used not only to keep ice/snow/rain from settling in the eave returns, but also to keep the birds off since they prefer not to stand on sloped surfaces.

[WendyWelton]

Doug,

A "pigeon" is the NE version of roof returns, but usually done with trim and a relatively flat top, instead of roofs. We model them with a molding polyline returned against the building. Stop by sometime and I'll show you quickly.

The use of chicken wire is exactly as Ray said, to keep the pigeon's off them. The name originates from their usefulness and a perch.

[DSomerville]

As always, everyone has been very helpful.
Thanks for the information.

[Pat McNinch]

I'd say Wendy nailed it. I always heard them called bird boxes. My own house in upstate NY has them. They are about 6" h x 6" d x 2' long with a piece of 1 x 8 as the flat top. Lukily the pigeons migrate to the 2 large barns on my property so I don't have to have all the ugly screen or chicken wire to keep them away from the house. They are easily shown with the soffit tool as well as polyline solids.

[Ray C]

I have a picture of this somewhere, if I find it I’ll post it

HTH Ray

found it