Do gable-end soffits need ventilation?

[CAPP0]

The picture below is not my house but has a similar roof construction.

I am in the process of repairing and re-treating some of the gable end timbers (soffit & fascia, assuming they're still called that on a gable?), not least to fill some gaps through which the occasional starling and blackbird seem to find their way into the loft, but also replacing some rotted sections.

Under the horizontal eaves at the front and the back there is a continuous ventilation strip along the leading edge, but the gable-end timbers have none. My question is, should there be? There has probably been a degree of passive ventilation simply due to the gaps which the birds were getting in through, but those which are significant I have closed up now. So do I need to add anything further or will the circulation through the horizontal (front and back) vents be adequate?

TIA.

[Lotobear]

Whilst it won't do any harm the standard and most effective approach is to cross ventilate via opposing eaves, so no not required to the gables

(and in any event the wall heads would usually be bult up to underside of the roof coverings at gable positions)

[CAPP0]

Great, thanks for the swift response!

[Evoluzione]

No. The vertical piece is called the barge board btw.

[jonwm]

My old roof looked like this, a guy took all the cement out and replaced it with plastic edges (dry verge I think it was called) I noticed after that my loft had more fresh air feeling to it, I also covered the wood with plastic.

[CAPP0]

Evoluzione said:

No. The vertical piece is called the barge board btw.

Ah yes, barge board, I remember that term now, thanks.