Common lizards are lovers of the sun and can often be seen basking in small groups \u2013 particularly in late summer when the dark-coloured juveniles are born. Log piles can be excellent places to see the young lizards basking.<\/p>\n

Highly reliant upon their camouflage to evade detection, common lizards remain perfectly still and only move as a last resort. The scuttle of legs and brief glimpse of a tail disappearing into cover is often all we might witness. But tread carefully and look for sun-kissed spots on banks or rocky outcrops and you may spy a lizard or two.<\/p>\n

In this guide, we take a closer look at common lizards in the UK, revealing information on how to identify them, where they live and what they eat.<\/p>\n

Reptiles of the British Isles\u00a0<\/h4>\n
Discover the fascinating world of snakes, lizards and slow worms with BBC Countryfile Magazine\u2019s guide to Britain\u2019s six native reptiles.<\/p>\n
Reptile guide: snakes, lizards and slow worms<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
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What is a common lizard?<\/h2>\n
The common lizard \u2013 Zootoca vivipara<\/em> \u2013 is a small reptile, with an adult measuring around 15cm from nose to the tip of the tail. The tail itself can detach, a process known as autotomy, as a distraction from predators, with a new appendage growing in its place.<\/p>\n
They are variable in colour, but commonly a mottle of browns with faint patterns of spots and stripes. Some individuals are olive-green while melanism, a blackening of the skin pigment, is less common.<\/p>\n
The common lizard is also known as the viviparous lizard, as it gives birth to live young rather than lay eggs. The embryos develop inside eggs, the shells of which \u2018break\u2019 as the female lizard gives birth.<\/p>\n
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Reptiles of the British Isles\u00a0<\/h4>\nDiscover the fascinating world of snakes, lizards and slow worms with BBC Countryfile Magazine\u2019s guide to Britain\u2019s six native reptiles.<\/p>\n

Common lizard habitat<\/h2>\nThe common lizard is more common in coastal areas where it favours scrubland or areas of well-drained soil. Log piles can be excellent places to see the young lizards basking.<\/p>\n

Common lizard habitat<\/h2>\n
The common lizard is more common in coastal areas where it favours scrubland or areas of well-drained soil. Log piles can be excellent places to see the young lizards basking.<\/p>\n