Breeding season: May–July, 1 brood per year. - Nest: well hidden in dense grass or heather near water; lined with soft down that the female plucks from her breast. - Eggs: 8–11 eggs, pale creamy-beige; incubation 21–23 days; only the female incubates. - Young: newly hatched young are led to water by the female almost immediately; can fly after about 25–30 days.