The male will generally excavate a majority of the hole in a few days. Any wood chips inside the hole are carried away and dropped. The woodpeckers will also peck at the bark around the hole. This will cause the sap to flow around the hole which helps keep predators from entering the cavity. The female will lay one egg per day until the clutch is complete.
Incubation is done by both parents.
The nest is rarely left alone during incubation. During the day, the male incubates the eggs more than the female. He will also remain with the nest at night. When the eggs hatch, the parents will brood the young birds for as long as 9 days. Fifteen days after hatching, the young can climb to the entrance hole to be fed.