The more you can learn about the biology of your nest box occupants, the more rewarding your birdhouse monitoring will be. Typically, old nest material is removed when the breeding season is over. New evidence suggests that this may not be the best procedure. Refer to the Nest Site Selection Study for more details. After nesting season is complete, some people elect to seal off their birdhouses to prevent unwanted winter tenants.
Some people render the boxes unusable by propping the door open.
Others leave the boxes as they are and allow them to be used as roosting places for birds, mice, or squirrels.