The Eagle-Owl builds no proper nest but lays its eggs directly on a sheltered rock ledge, in a crevice or on the ground beneath an overhanging rock. Breeding begins early; the female usually lays 2–4 eggs as early as late winter and incubates them for a good month while the male hunts. The young leave the nest site before they are fully fledged and remain for a long time within the parents' territory.