A young great horned owl discovered at the base of a palm tree in Redondo Beach has prompted police to release a public service announcement video to educate residents on how to respond to such fledgling birds.

The owl was brought in by Redondo Beach Animal Services after it was found on the ground, a situation that may appear concerning but is often part of a normal development stage for young owls, according to Redondo Beach Police Det. Evelo, who did not provide her full name.

In the video, Evelo said the goal is to educate the public about what to do when encountering young owls.

“At this age where they have flight feathers or fledging feathers, they’re starting to branch out and learn how to fly and move around,” Evelo said.

She noted that Redondo Beach’s local geography can make this stage more difficult.

“Unfortunately in Redondo Beach we have a lot of palm trees and that’s not a great home for owls because there’s no branches for them to start learning how to fly,” she said. “You’ll find that at this age these owls will actually fall to the ground and that’s where they’ll do all their learning.”

According to the nonprofit Owl Research Institute, this stage is known as fledgling, when young birds leave the nest before they are fully capable of flight and begin exploring their surroundings. During this time, the owls are still under parental care. This period could last weeks.

“Don’t worry, their parents are still taking care of them. You’ll see mom and dad still coming down to feed them,” Evelo said.

The video also advises residents not to approach or touch owl fledgings and to keep pets and children away to avoid stressing the bird.

“Don’t be alarmed if you see them, just leave them where they are,” the detective said.

However, she said anyone who finds a young owl should not hesitate to call the Redondo Police Department Animal Control if it looks like a dog or another animal is going to get to them.