Watch the birdhouse for a couple of days. If you don't see or hear any birds, go over and tap on the box. If you hear bird sounds, open the top and take a quick peek inside. If everything's okay, close the box. If you see problems (parasites or predators), remove them and close the box.
Installing birdhouses that can be opened from the top will make the process of maintaining your birdhouses a simpler job. Most bird houses can be opened from the top, the side, the front, or the bottom. Birdhouses that open from the top and the front provide the easiest access. Opening the box from the top is less likely to disturb nesting birds. It's impossible to open a box from the bottom without the nest falling out. While side- and front-opening boxes are convenient for cleaning and monitoring, they have one drawback: the nestlings may jump out.
If this happens, don't panic. Just pick them up and put them back in the nest. Don't worry that the adults will reject the nestlings if you handle them. That's a myth. Most birds have a terrible sense of smell.
If you clean out your birdhouses after each brood has fledged, several pairs may use the nest throughout the summer. Many cavity nesting birds will not nest again in a box full of old nesting In the fall, after you've cleaned out your bird houses for the last time, you can put them in storage or leave them out. Gourds and pottery last longer if you take them in for the winter. You can leave your purple martin houses up, but be sure to plug the entrance holes to discourage starlings and house sparrows. Leaving your wood and concrete houses out provides shelter for birds, flying squirrels, and other animals during winter. Each spring be sure to clean out all the birdhouses you've left out for the winter.
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