Most birds form monogamous pair bonds during the breeding season, and 80% of returning birds nest with mates from the previous year. Mate guarding is common. The males follow their mate while she forages and moves about as well as singing quietly 3-4 meters above her when she is on the nest. This is most intensive during nest building and until incubation begins. A small percentage of males may have more than one mate. Females are known to sneak off their territory and mate with males other than their mate. In any given year, over 50% of nests may contain young sired by a male other than the female’s mate.

Males arrive first on the breeding grounds to establish territories. Females arrive later and explore potential nesting sites. Males will pursue females in short chases through the understory while they are establishing a pair bond. Females often return to the same nesting area each year.

These birds nest in areas of dense understory, in a fork about 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters) above ground, well concealed in vegetation. The male helps collect nesting materials and the female builds a cup-shaped nest with strips of bark, often from white or yellow birch, and pieces of rotten wood held together with saliva and spiderweb. She lines the nest with animal hair, rootlets, moss and pine needles. Materials from old nests may be reused but the nest itself is not.

Females lay 3-5 eggs, creamy white with dark speckles mostly on the large end. They are incubated by the female for 12-13 days.  When disturbed, the female may drop to the ground below their nest and perform a distraction display that looks like they have a broken wing. This act is designed to lead predators away from the nest. Chicks are fed by both parents.  They fledge at 8-10 days-old. Often the male becomes the only caregiver for fledglings while the female attempts a second brood. The female often is the only caregiver for the last brood of the year.