Johnny Depp says ''everyone'' needs a dead bird on their head like his character in 'The Lone Ranger'.

The actor devised his own look for his role as Tonto - black and white war paint and a headdress featuring a stuffed row - and insisted it's something everybody should try.

He told Film3Sixty magazine: ''I'd seen a painting of an Indian warrior with stripes down his face, like he was dissected. And just behind him there was a crow flying.

''At first glance, I thought the crow was on his head. So I decided the best thing to do was to take a dead bird and put it on my head, as my spirit guide. Everyone should try it, it's really something.''

Costume designer Penny Rose - who worked with Depp on the new Disney western and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series - explained Tonto's image was intended to stand on its own merit rather than be overshadowed by the actor's previous characters.

She told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper's Seven magazine: ''We really didn't want Tonto to be called Jack Sparrow on a horse.

''We wanted this to be iconic on its own. Johnny is the master of originality and has a big input.''