An Israeli avian specialist has called for the release of a vulture that was reportedly detained in Saudi Arabia for being an Israeli spy.

Ohad Hatzofe, an Avian Ecologist from the Division of Science and Conservation at Israel's Nature and Parks Authority, said that the bird was probably "part of a movement in migration of birds" and not an Israeli-born vulture.

Saudi Arabian officials "detained" the vulture after reportedly alleging it was spying for Israel.

The bird was reported to have been found in a rural area of the country wearing a GPS logger and a leg bracelet bearing the words "Tel Aviv University", according to the reports, which surfaced first in the Israeli daily Ma'ariv.

The accusations went viral, with hundreds of posts on Arabic-language websites and forums claiming that the "Zionists" were training birds for espionage. The Israeli foreign ministry dismissed the allegations

Mr Hatzofe said the vulture could be "a Turkish bird, it might be a Jordanian bird or even a Saudi Arabian bird".

He said the GPS logger was attached to the bird as part of a PHD study at Tel Aviv University.

"Hopefully they will release this bird and probably the awareness will prevent other cases like this," he added.