dovecote

dovecote

, dovecot

a structure for housing pigeons, often raised on a pole or set on a wall, containing compartments for the birds to roost and lay eggs

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

dovecote

A structure that houses doves or pigeons; often square, hexagonal, octagonal, or round in plan and one-and-a-half or two stories high; typically topped with a finial; once popular because the birds provided a tasty source of fresh meat. The interior is honeycombed with niches in which the birds may rest. Also called a pigeon house or pigeonnier.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.