The male and female appear to mate for life. The male and female select a cavity in a tree or a large cactus. No lining is added at the bottom of the cavity. The eggs are white and almost spherical. They are laid at intervals of approximately 35 hours.
Clutch size is usually four in Arizona, five in Texas.
The eggs are incubated by the female. The incubation period lasts 28 days. The young are fed by both the male and female. Competition for food is fierce among the nestlings, occasionally resulting in siblicide. The young fledge 3-4 weeks after hatching.