The calling male will mount the perched female's shoulder and place food in her mouth. The male then copulates with the female. The nest is made of twigs, lined with roots and dried leaves, and rimmed with pine needles. It is incomplete at the onset of laying. Expected clutch size is four, but can range between one and eight, depending on certain biotic and abiotic factors, such as food availability and temperature.
Biparental care is illustrated by shared male and female incubation periods.
The eggs have a very short gestation period and young hatch asynchronously. The newly hatched offspring are altricial, meaning that they are helpless, blind and naked. Ordinarily, from the point of fledging, the young will climb branches in a week, and fly within three weeks. Soon thereafter they leave the nest. Studies have shown that in times of prey abundance, production of eggs will increase, which leads to an increase in brood parasitism by Coccyzus americanus .