Egyptian authorities detain stork on suspicion of 'spying'

Police in Egypt has detained a stork on the suspicion of spying, after an electronic device was found attached to its feathers in Qena, which is 280 miles south-east of Cairo.

According to Sky News, a man fishing in the Nile in Qena thought the bird was an undercover agent and took it to a police station near his home.

Puzzled officers examined the bird, fearing the gadget was a bomb or spying equipment, and then called in veterinary experts, the report said.

Eventually, they discovered it was a wildlife tracker used by French scientists to follow the movement of migratory birds, the report added.

The device stopped working when the bird crossed the French border, absolving it of being a spy but had to remain in police custody for the time being because officials needed permission from state prosecutors to release the bird, the report further said.

Earlier this year, a security guard filed a police report after capturing a pigeon he said was carrying microfilm, according to the report.