Does not construct a stick nest. Often uses cavities excavated by northern flickers and Lewis' woodpeckers. Has a high tolerance to heat and aridity. Needs cavities near foraging areas. Yearlong, diurnal activity.
Residents often maintain pair bond throughout the year.
Eggs laid mid-May to late June. Female larger than male, allowing pair to partition food resources more effectively. Bent, A. C. 1938. Life histories of North American birds of prey. Cade, T. J. 1955.