They are regurgitated 3 to 4 hours after eating. Males occupy nesting territories first and may begin their territorial calling in winter. Nesting occurs mainly from mid March through May in North America. During courtship, males perform display flights around nests. Display flights involve erratic gliding and flapping through the trees with occasional single wing claps.
Females respond by giving their nest call.
The female selects a nest by hopping around it, while the male displays above. She then performs display flights as well, and flies repeatedly to the nest. Leading up to mating, the male approaches the female after calling and performing display flights, then waves his wings as he sidles up to her. Mutual preening and courtship feeding also occur. After pairing, adults roost close together, but the female tends to roost on the nest after it has been selected.