Monogamous, solitary breeder. Incubation usually 25-27 days, but reported as little as 21. Precocial young usually tended by female alone, but sometimes drake accompanies for a few days. Young fly first at 52-60 days, and become more independent at that time. Probably competes very little with other dabbling ducks, because of highly specialized bill.
Weasels sometimes kill ducklings.
Ducks, geese, and swans of North America. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA. 544pp. Cogswell, H. L. 1977. Water birds of California. California Press, Berkeley.