Colorado is home to a fascinating diversity of lizard species. From small skinks scurrying through rocky crevices to regal collared lizards perching atop boulders, these reptiles thrive in habitats across the state. This article explores some of the most notable lizards found in Colorado, spotlighting key identification features, habitats, fun facts and more to help you learn about and appreciate these remarkable creatures.
Collared Lizards
One of the largest and most recognizable lizards in Colorado is the collared lizard. Also known as the mountain boomer or eastern collared lizard, this agile reptile can grow up to 15 inches long from head to tail. It gets its name from the dark collar bands around its neck and shoulders.
Male collared lizards sport vibrant blue bodies, yellow stripes and orange throats. Females are more subdued with light brown hues. These lizards favor rocky open habitats like cliffsides, boulder fields and canyons. They have incredible jumping abilities and can leap up to 6 feet horizontally to catch prey or evade predators!
Leopard Lizards
The leopard lizard is aptly named for its spotted skin that provides camouflage as it hunts insects and small vertebrates It has a large head, long tail and pointed snout. Coloration ranges from pale cream to grayish-white with dark brown blotches over the body and bands across the back
These lizards frequent sparsely vegetated habitats like desert scrub, sand dunes and badlands. To deal with extreme heat, they may burrow underground or seek refuge in small mammal burrows. If caught by a predator, leopard lizards can detach their tails which continue writhing, distracting the attacker while they make their escape.
Horned Lizards
Few lizards rival the unique appearance of Colorado’s horned lizards. Armored with spiny scales and prominent horns, they resemble tiny dinosaurs plodding through the sand Colorado has three horned lizard species Texas, greater short-horned and roundtail All are camouflage experts, blending seamlessly with dusty earth tones. They feast mainly on ants and get water from the prey they eat.
When threatened, horned lizards can inflate themselves with air, stiffen their bodies and squirt blood from the corners of their eyes – definitely a startling defense! Despite their fierce appearance, they are docile reptiles that rarely bite if handled gently.
Sagebrush Lizards
The sagebrush lizard is a fitting mascot for Colorado’s western sagebrush seas. As the name implies, this species thrives in association with sagebrush and other arid-adapted vegetation. Medium-sized with a long tail, they range in color from grayish-brown to olive with a pale stripe down the back.
Look for them perched on shrubs or ground-dwelling yucca plants on warm afternoons. Males sport bright blue patches on their bellies – a flashy display to attract females and ward off competing males. Though common, sagebrush lizard numbers are declining in parts of their range due to habitat loss.
Tree Lizards
Tree lizards, as the name suggests, are adept climbers frequently found on tree trunks, fences and rocky outcrops. Two species inhabit Colorado: the ornate tree lizard and the side-blotched lizard. Ornates display a rainbow of colors across different populations, including green, brown, turquoise and yellow. Side-blotched lizards are more subdued, patterned with spots and bars.
Both species have special toe pads that allow them to grip smooth surfaces while moving with speed and agility. Their long tails assist with balance while climbing. Watch for them doing push-ups or assertive head-bobbing displays to proclaim territory and court mates.
Skinks
Skinks are smooth-scaled lizards with elongated bodies and reduced limbs. Most species found in Colorado are quite small, ranging from 3 to 7 inches in length. Their cryptic coloration features stripes, spots and blotches that aid camouflage amidst rocks and dense vegetation. Most prefer woodland areas and rocky canyons.
Notable skink species include the great plains skink, many-lined skink and ground skink. They use their blunt snouts and strong jaws to search leaf litter and probe crevices for tasty invertebrates. Local populations of great plains skinks are considered imperiled, so be sure not to disturb them if encountered.
Whiptails
With speedy movements and lengthy tail, whiptails live up to their name as they race across open ground in pursuit of prey. Colorado is home to several species including checkered whiptails, western whiptails, and the aptly named racerunner. Most have boldly striped or spotted patterns in shades of gray, olive and brown.
Whiptails rely on camouflage and breakneck speed to avoid predation. If caught, they can shed their tails to distract attackers. A unique trait of checkered whiptails is that populations in Colorado and surrounding states are all females that reproduce through parthenogenesis – no males required!
From tiny ground skinks to leggy racers, Colorado’s lizards fill diverse ecological niches across various habitats. Learning to identify them by sight takes patience and practice. But the rewards of a close lizard encounter are well worth the effort. So grab your field guide and start exploring. You never know what you might find basking on a rock or rustling beneath a shrub!
A couple of Colorado Lizards…
In our part of the state, the Eastern collared lizard is one of the most common, and easily identified lizards, especially during mating season. During this time, males change to bright colors of yellow, blue and green. They can also be brown, and have various patterns of spots and dark bands. During mating season the males especially may be easy to spot, as they display themselves on top of a rock or log. The collared lizard gets its name from the 2 black bands on its neck that are usually separated at the nape of the neck. Collared lizards may eat anything from grasshoppers and spiders, to smaller lizards and snakes. They are preyed upon by hawks and large snakes. When trying to escape a predator, they have been seen to run away on only their hind feet!
If you haven’t heard of the longnose leopard lizard before, you are probably not alone. Although they can be very common in the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah, the longnose leopard lizard is only found in a few distinct places in western Colorado, one of which happens to be Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM), west of Cortez. In fact, this species is considered to be a sensitive species by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), meaning that it is a species that could have some risk of becoming endangered.
Not much is known about the longnose leopard lizard in Colorado. Geoffrey Hammerson, author of Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado, states in his book that longnose leopard lizards only appear above ground for a short period during the year – from late May to early August, and are most active from 2-6 hours after sunrise. Otherwise they are either hibernating while it is cold, or aestivating, staying underground while it is extremely hot. One thing getting them above ground is the opportunity to mate, and females will usually produce between 6-10 eggs every year. Longnose leopard lizards probably used to be more widely distributed in Colorado, but with the expansion of development and agriculture, not to mention cheatgrass, their populations have declined.
MYTH: The tail of a skink is “poisonous” and can sting you.
No, their tail is not a stinger and is not venomous.
MYTH: If a lizard bites you, it will hold on until it thunders.
No, they have no reason to hold on that long.
In Egypt, they say that in spring lizards climb an east-facing wall and look to the east. When the Sun rises, the lizards sight have the ability to restore the sight of a blind person.
In Australia, the aborigines believe that the sky will fall if you kill a lizard.
In ancient Egypt and Greek symbolism the lizard represented divine wisdom and good fortune. In Roman mythology, lizards symbolize both death and resurrection because it was thought that they slept through the winter, and woke up at the end of it. Early Christianity associated the lizard with evil. On the Pacific islands of Polynesia and Maoris lizards are revered as a “heaven god.”
Dinosaurs weren’t lizards! Current scientific theory is that dinosaurs were reptiles, but were not lizards. The main difference is the way their legs attach to their bodies. Dinosaurs’ legs go down, as our legs do. Lizard legs go out in a squatting position. It is also possible that dinosaurs were warm-blooded animals, unlike cold-blooded lizards.
(* denotes sensitive species as designated by the BLM)
Found a lizard in Colorado you can’t identify? Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a handy Lizards of Colorado key found here: http://cpw.state.co.us/documents/education/studentactivities/coherpquickkey.pdf
If you find a lizard in the wild, observe it from a distance so it doesn’t run away. Do not try to capture it, as it may lose its tail, or become very stressed. Lizards in Colorado are lucky to live here, so please leave them in the wild, where you found them!
Lizard Fishing in Colorado’s Gunnison Gorge with Andrew Grillos
FAQ
What type of lizards live in Colorado?
| New Mexico Whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicanus) | Eastern Six-Lined Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus sexlineatus) |
|---|---|
| Round-Tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) | Great Plains Skink (Plestiodon obsoletus) |
| Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus consobrinus) | Northern Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus graciosus) |
Are lizards good to have in your yard?
… in your garden can prove that your garden (and any food grown in it) will have low levels of pesticides, heavy metals, and potentially harmful chemicals
Are eastern collared lizards venomous?
As a cautionary note, although not venomous, collared lizards can inflict a painful bite that usually breaks the skin of not handled carefully. Their bright coloration and the fact they can be easily captured makes them attractive candidates for pets.
Are mountain horned lizards good pets?
In short, not a good choice for a pet. Especially for a more “beginner” lizard.