SCP-1534

Description

SCP-1534-1 is a male lammergeier, or bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), estimated to be ten years old. Unlike other lammergeiers, SCP-1534-1 is green and brown in color, and has shown advanced intelligence and basic understanding of every language spoken to it so far. It is otherwise physically similar to non-anomalous individuals of its species in size and strength. However, SCP-1534-1 shows a marked dislike of corpses and other non-skeletal tissues from cadavers, and will actively avoid them. It appears to favor human bones over all other types of bones, but will consume any type of bone given to it.

SCP-1534-1's feathers do not fall out naturally, even during preening or fast movement. If its feathers are forcibly removed through human intervention, they instantaneously transform into leaves. Leaves are typically of similar size and shape of the feather, belong to known plant species, and are indistinguishable from other leaves of the same plant species. Feather coloration is preserved as well, with green feathers becoming healthy green leaves and brown feathers becoming dead leaves. Feathers with mixed colors exhibit a mixture of healthy and dead areas on the leaf in a similar pattern to the color on the feather. These leaves are nonanomalous aside from their method of formation, and will decay as expected.

Occasionally, SCP-1534-1's tail feathers will fall out after consuming human bones. So far testing on the specific cause has been inconclusive. (See Addendum-A) Dropped feathers are regrown after about 24 hours and do not transform into leaves. SCP-1534-1 will pick up dropped feathers and collect them in a safe place if able to. All dropped feathers will disappear after several have dropped, regardless of whether or not SCP-1534-1 was able to collect them. These feathers do not appear to disintegrate or dematerialize; instead they are removed through currently unknown means by an entity labeled SCP-1534-2. Feathers will not disappear if actively monitored; however, monitoring failure has occurred in all cases and to date the Foundation has been unable to permanently secure any feathers. Tampering with items to reach the feathers has been documented, including doors and containers being opened, obstructions moved, equipment turned off or broken, and distractions to personnel created. From this, it has been theorized that SCP-1534-2 is invisible but not intangible. The complexity of some of the methods of distracting personnel also suggests that it has at least human-level intelligence.

SCP-1534-2 has attempted to breach SCP-1534-1's containment several times, including one successful breach and recapture by personnel. Despite an obvious desire by both entities to have SCP-1534-1 freed, neither have exhibited malicious activity or intent to Foundation personnel. SCP-1534-2 is thought to have caused several containment breaches of other SCPs in its efforts to collect SCP-1534-1's feathers, though none of these breaches have caused serious damage or injury.

SCP-1534-1 responds to both its SCP designation and the word "bones" in any language, and appears to be able to understand a distinction between its given name and the word itself when spoken to. It is unusually calm and patient, apparently enjoying the presence of humans as it will greet any personnel who approach its enclosure. Other animals do not interest it, and it will not interact with them unless provoked or threatened. So far SCP-1534-2 has not attempted to contact Foundation personnel directly. Attempts to contact SCP-1534-2 are ongoing.

SCP-1534-1 came into Foundation custody following reports of an unusual bird spotted in █████████, Canada. Local wildlife experts captured SCP-1534-1 and discovered its anomalous properties when attempting to remove a feather for record purposes. Foundation personnel administered Class-C amnestics to those present and replaced SCP-1534-1 with a normal lammergeier specimen. A cover story about an escaped illegal exotic pet was released.

Addendum A: Testing has shown that SCP-1534-1 will not drop a feather if it consumes a bone from a living human, or from a deceased human from which it has already eaten a bone. Feathers will almost always drop after consuming the bones of recently deceased humans. The drop rate is inversely proportional to time since death, and feathers appear to stop dropping at about 3 years since death.

Addendum B A letter thought to be written by SCP-1534-2 was found in SCP-1534-1's enclosure on ██/██/████ after another collection of feathers. The writing was thought to be in English until several multilingual personnel reported that the note was written in the language they were most proficient in. It has since been discovered that the writing will appear to the reader in whichever language they are most familiar with.

I'd like Bones back, the others and I miss him. Also, could you feed him some more human bones? The other fellows are a bit overworked.