Bird, a Boy and a Big Adventure is based on the real-life adventure of a small baby seagull and a young Boy on a big sailing ship. The adventure follows Bird and a Boy as they travel on a Nova Scotia schooner from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (home of the famous Bluenose schooner), through the Panama Canal to Victoria, British Columbia. Most of the elements of the story are true: Bird was rescued as a baby and named "Bird," the Boy's small farm was real, Bird flew on an airplane in a lobster box, Bird had a bath in a bathroom sink in the Toronto airport, Bird got seasick, there was a big tropical storm as Bird and Boy sailed between Nova Scotia and Bermuda, Bird ate flying fish, and Bird eventually found his forever home. Tanya Ney wrote this book to honour her mother, Margot, and to use the proceeds of the book to make a charitable donation in her mother's name. Margot had wanted to tell the story of her family's big adventure with Bird but was unable to do so due to failing health.