Breeding

The breeding season in Argentina extends at least from August until April (Pereyra 1928, Bump and Bump 1969), with one nest reported as late as June (Pereyra 1928). The peak of egg laying is in October and November in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Burger 1991). Three to four broods a year are typical in Argentina (Bump and Bump 1969).

The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground, lined with a little grass, forbs and usually a few feathers, and is well concealed by vegetation. Occasionally nests are placed near to each other, within as close as 12 m (Bump and Bump 1969).

The eggs are chocolate brown to vinaceous, and unmarked. Mean egg dimensions are 43.6 mm x 31.3 mm (n = 60). The clutch size varies from 3 to 9, with a mean of 5 (Bump and Bump 1969); the number of eggs per nest per female is not documented.

Only the male incubates. Incubating males generally sit tight on the nest until very closely approached. The incubation period in captivity is 16-18 days. The male also cares for the young after hatching, until the young become independent after three to four weeks. The mean weight of the chicks at hatching is 18.6 g (Bump and Bump 1969).