One of the pigeons found wandering around Las Vegas with a tiny cowboy hat glued to its head has died.
Lofty Hopes Pigeon Rescue say the fumes from the glue could have poisoned the bird, which they nicknamed Billie the Pidge.
Sharing a post on Instagram the rescue centre told followers that the female bird was weak and that she had lost some toes after a piece of string got wrapped around them.
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The post read: "The staff and volunteers at Lofty Hopes are saddened to report that Billie The Pidge, one of the Cowboy Pigeons in the red hats, has passed away of an undetected illness.
"The hat could have interfered with her being able to dislodge small insects from under it, and pigeons are very active preeners (groomers), not just for themselves, but for the others in their flocks. The fumes of the glue could have slowly poisoned her. Pigeons have a very fragile respiratory system. So many things could have gone wrong."
The post went on to say that when they found the bird she 'didn't have the same wild fight in her', before adding: "We are truly saddened by her loss and will always remember her struggle. Please know, that our efforts to find the remaining "Cowboy Pigeon" continues. Thank you for caring."
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At least three birds were seen in Vegas with the hats glued to their heads.
Speaking back in December, when clips of the pigeons were first shared online, Lofty Hopes founder Mariah Hillman told Fox News: "At first, I was like, oh my god that's cute! Then, I was like, wait a minute - how did they get those hats on there?
"Did they glue them? And what does that mean for them? Is it something that's going to impede their flight or attract predators?
"We drove up and down here yesterday for a good two hours just handing out business cards to any location where I saw pigeons and people. If you see these birds, just feed them until I get here. I'm only three miles away and I'll come trap them."
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The other two birds that were rescued - nicknamed Coolamity Jane and Cluck Norris - are still under the care of Lofty Hopes.
As yet, it's still unknown who glued the hats to the birds.
Featured Image Credit: Lofty Hopes Pigeon Rescue