The title refers to Michael's transformation as he grows up from a regular boy in a rather average household in the UK. He learns about himself, likes and dislikes but most importantly about his sexuality and how he sees himself. Because he is mixed gender and being somewhat the odd one out, he considders himself a flamingo and most especially a black flamingo. An animal that is symbol for both grace and agility, meaning he learns to accept himself as who he really is. This is exactly the message the book is trying to convey to it's audience