A widely-shared image from the Vancouver police showing three eggs in a dirty sink full of needles may show the "sad reality of the opioid crisis," but a pigeon expert says it doesn't look like a nest as described.

"Pigeons spotted making a nest out of #needles in a #DTES SRO room," tweeted Supt. Michelle Davey on Wednesday.

"Sad reality of the #opioidcrisis ... #notstaged."

Vancouver police said the image was captured by the department's homeless outreach coordinator on Tuesday.

It was taken inside a vacant room in a single-room occupancy building in the Downtown Eastside, said Staff Sgt. Randy Fincham in a statement.

"The picture was shared with the public to show the reality of drug use ... and to provide a rare glimpse into the lives of first responders, health care providers and others involved in the opioid crisis."

The overdose crisis, largely fuelled by the presence of highly-toxic fentanyl in street drugs, is killing four people on average every day in B.C.

Last week, B.C. Emergency Health Services responded to 130 suspected overdoses in a single day, breaking the record set in November.