SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. -- High atop the mountains of the Allegheny Front in Somerset County, an owl whistle sends signals through the night sky. It isn't long before owls start to show up. They are called sawwhets and a few weeks ago a group of about 20 people shared a unique treat as they watched members of the Allegheny Plateau Chapter of the National Audubon Society capture the creatures to study.

After the sawwhets are freed from the nets, they are placed in bags and taken to a picnic tables to be weighed, measured and banded.

The sawwhets, which are common in the eastern part of the United States, may look babies, but they are full grown.

Families around the Alleghenies get the chance to pet and hold the sawwhets as their legs are banded and they can even release them back into the wild.

"They are really soft," said 11-year-old Byron Custer. "You release them and they just take right off."

The group is collecting data on the birds they claim is vital to understanding their migration habits, their environment and the treats that could harm the species.

While normally humans only experience such wildlife in zoos, in this case it is all about getting hands on with nature.

"If you get people exposed to this they get excited about the natural world," said biologist Kim Van Fleet. "They can become stewards."

Dr. Thomas Dick owns the land on top of the ridge which is a hot spot for bird migration. They not only allow the public to work with the owls, they also have been using the area for the past 12 years to track bald eagles and golden eagles. Dick says it is all about promoting conservation.

"I think it's important from an educational point of you to know what you have and also what you stand to lose," said Dick.

For those who get the rare opportunity to experience the sawwhet owls, many of them are hooked.

"Oh it is phenomenal," said Stacy Gaumer of Meyersdale. "Any time you can get out and commune with nature and get hands on take the opportunity."

The owl banding runs until Dec. 10 and is dependant on the weather.

To learn more click on the as mentioned page at wjactv.com.