Stork that was detained in Egypt for being a spy found DEAD on an island in the Nile

A stork detained by Egyptian authorities on suspicion of being an under cover agent, has been found dead.

Local residents discovered the bird on an island in the Nile, south of the ancient city of Aswan on Saturday.

Its death was confirmed by Mahmoud Hassib, the head of Egypt's southe protected areas.

An Egyptian wildlife organization claimed on its Facebook page the bird was 'eaten by local villagers'. 

But Hassib denied the bird had been consumed and said he could not confirm the cause. 

Last month a man took the bird to a police station in the Qena goveorate, some 280 miles southeast of Cairo, on Friday.

He suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device.

The head of security in Qena confirmed that officials examined the bird and the device.

Mohammed Kamal said the device was neither an explosive nor a spying device. It is thought to have probably been a wildlife tracker.

Earlier this year, a security guard filed a police report after capturing a pigeon he said carried microfilm.

Officials say the man suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device

With turmoil gripping Egypt, authorities and citizens remain suspicious of anything foreign.

The country has been in turmoil following the July 3 coup that toppled President Mohammad Morsi.

Clashes between Egyptian security forces and Morsi's supporters have killed hundreds of people.

'We do believe that the recent operations of the security forces have been disproportionate and we're worried about the resulting alarming number of people that have been killed,' said the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Clashes between supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi continue

Political turbulence has kept Egypt on edge for months. At least 900 people, including 100 soldiers and police, have been killed in a crackdown on Morsi supporters, making it the country's bloodiest inteal episode in decades.

The United States and the European Union have both been reviewing aid to Cairo in light of the bloodshed, but Saudi Arabia, a foe of the Brotherhood, has promised to make up any shortfall.