Frilled Lizard

The frilled lizard is a tree-loving reptile from the warm woodlands of northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Most of the time it looks quite plain, coloured grey, brown, or orangey-brown so it can hide against tree bark. Folded neatly around its neck is a big flap of skin called a frill, which usually stays tucked away out of sight.

The frill is this lizard’s most famous trick. If something startles it, the frilled lizard puts on a big show — it opens its bright pink or yellow mouth wide, and the frill springs open like a giant collar all around its head. Suddenly the lizard looks much bigger than before. This clever bluff is just for show, and it helps scare predators away so the lizard can escape unharmed.

Frilled lizards are wonderful climbers and spend more than nine-tenths of their time up in the trees. They mostly come down to catch a meal, to say hello to other lizards, or to travel to a new tree. High in the branches they are safer from many animals on the ground, and their bark-coloured skin helps them stay hidden.

These lizards are insectivores, which means they mainly eat insects along with spiders and other little creepy-crawlies. They wait and watch, then snap up ants, beetles, and other tasty bugs. Eating so many insects helps keep their warm, leafy home healthy and in balance.

When a frilled lizard needs to move quickly, it can do something surprising — it runs on just its two back legs, lifting its front legs and tail up as it dashes to the nearest tree trunk. The good news is that frilled lizards are listed as Least Concern, so there are still plenty of them across their wide range. Looking after their sunny woodlands, and being careful not to take too many for the pet trade, will help keep these show-stopping lizards thriving for years to come.