The common lizard, Ireland’s only reptile, can often be seen sunning itself on dry stone walls, rocks or logs during the summer months. These animals occupy a range of habitats, including woodland, marshes, heath, moors, bogs, sand-dunes and even rubbish dumps.
Lizards are active, alert and extremely quick. Their colouration helps them to blend with their surroundings, and they can disappear into a crevice or under a stone with startling speed at the first sign of disturbance.
Common lizards are usually between 10cm and 16cm (4 inches and 6 inches) long, although larger specimens can reach 18cm (7 inches). They have long bodies, short legs and a long, tapering tail. The coarse, dry scales on the lizard’s back can be a variety of colours including grey, brown, copper or green, with a black stripe running down the centre of the back, and a scattering of black spots over the body. Male lizards have orange-yellow bellies with black spots, while females have creamy white bellies usually without spots.
Reptiles, unlike birds and mammals, have no internal temperature regulation system. They rely on the characteristics of their environment and on their patterns of behaviour to control their internal temperature. When they are too cold they bask in the sun, if they get too warm they move into the shade.
Lizards can typically be found basking on sunny days in the morning or the afternoon, but not generally during the middle of the day, when they are in danger of overheating. After cooling overnight, a lizard needs to increase its body temperature to somewhere in the region of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) before it can hunt effectively. They eat insects, spiders, slugs, snails and earthworms: pouncing on their prey and stunning it by shaking before swallowing it whole.
Because they rely on the sun’s heat to remain active, lizards are forced to hibernate through the Irish winter. They disappear around October and hibernate until the following March, often in groups, occasionally emerging during warmer spells.
After coming out of hibernation in spring male lizards establish a breeding territory and defend it vigorously against other males. Breeding takes place from March to May. Common lizards are viviparous, which means that the young develop within egg membranes inside the female’s body.
After about three months the female lizard will give birth to live, fully developed young that break free of the egg-membranes usually during birth or a few seconds afterwards. Litters consist of 2-12 young born from June to September. Females show no parental care: the young feed actively from birth and quickly disperse.
Lizards can be eaten by larger predators, but as they are active only during the day they rarely encounter nocturnal threats like foxes and badgers. They are taken by birds of prey (they typically form part of the kestrel’s diet), and stoats and mink will kill them if they can catch them. Domestic cats pose a real problem for lizards, especially early in the day before they reach full operating temperature. When they are cold the reptiles are sluggish and are easy prey for an inquisitive feline.
To redress the balance somewhat lizards have an intriguing escape mechanism that allows them to evade predators. If caught by the tail, lizards have the ability to shed the lower portion, leaving a bemused predator with a twitching stump while the lizard makes good its escape. If it survives the encounter the lizard will soon grow a new tail.
I just saw two lizards in my garden laying under an outside light this evening around 10pm, I live in the divis mountain area of Belfast
I live in south Florida, USA. It’s like Jurassic Park here. Wish I could see an Irish lizard though.
Found 1 lizard inside the house yesterday about 4pm, all curled up in a corner. Ardfield in West Cork.
Emily you are a stone throw from me at the Galley Head, ,,my cat is always catching these and bringing them In the house,,,lol
Lizard spotted in Ennis, Clare
Lizard strolled into our house today at lunch time. My 11 year son Dara well impressed. Iv never seen one before and im living on this area a long time. Ballyheigue co. kerry.
Found a male lizard today under timber logs I’m splitting up.he played dead as its not cold its actually very warm.going to show him to my grand child then let him out in a safe spot.Oldcastle co Meath.
We found one today in our glass house. He was lovely! Orange belly, very docile. We live in south Leitrim
Lizard came into our bathroom hidden in the mop today in Athlone first time to see one in this area
I let the dog out this evening in the dark with a torch, spotted a tiny baby lizzard on a concrete edge of our shed. Very cute! I have been living here for 20 years, first time spotting one. This is in Roundwood, co Wicklow. Will be looking out for adult ones.
any where near bangor can they be found
Quite probably Darren, although I’m afraid I couldn’t tell you where. It’s a fair old trek from the West Cork coast ;-).
Ask around locally — I’m sure someone who’s into their wildlife will be able to give you a few pointers.
A lizard came into our house but it was black, not light colored like in the photo. Lisheen, Kilkee, Co. Clare.
Hi just found a lizard tonight on the road in Four Mile House Roscommon, I show it to my kids the wanted to take it to school tomorrow!
Had one this morning in the house…..Co mayo. Never seen one before anywhere!!
Just had my first ever sighting of a lizard in Limerick today (previously saw one in W Cork). It was in walking across my kitchen floor. Dog sniffed it and left it alone but he looked like it was dying. Put it outside.
Saw a small black lizard last night. He was in an outside porch under the light. Cahore, Co. Wexford.
Seen one today while out hiking on the Wicklow mountains.patsy
Constantly finding them here in south Leitrim around our house (an old school that was abandoned for years) at least one every few months, sometimes two or tree together. but is there any chance that in good weather they would become non-viviparous? as on one occasion I found some tiny eggs under a woodpile, they were too small to be any bird but way to big to be any kind of insect egg… well I wouldn’t want to see the insect that could lay these things! It was a few years ago now and we had had a good warm, dry, summer.
Kim, they could possibly be snail eggs – Groups of small round white eggs usually underground but also under rocks and logs etc.
Hi Kim,
Giving birth to live young is an adaptation to survive in a cooler climate… and while common lizards / viviparous lizards do lay eggs in the extreme south of their range (southern Europe), do lay eggs Irish lizards never do.
Such an extreme physiological shift is something that’s likely to have evolved over a very long period of time — rather than a direct response to short-term environmental change (a hot summer for example), so I doubt very much that your lizards in south Leitrim are laying eggs.
Will mentioned snail eggs, but they’d be far too small to ever confuse with lizard eggs. Which begs the question what are they?
Do you have a photograph?
Hi my cat caught a magnificent lizard today I was shocked never knew they existed in Ireland. It was deep green and it was missing end of tail probably because of the cat. We released it back hope it survives. (Galway)
Just picked one off the road in Spanish point green with black tail
Found a small lizard under my rabbits water dish we took photos before returning it to the wild kids disappointed they couldn’t bring it in to school I’m sure the teacher would have been impressed
Hiking in Wicklow Mountains (Big Sugarloaf) saw one in midday sun hidden in the gorse. Speedy fellow!
Sunny day in Killasser co Mayo just seen a common lizard run in the door had the same thing 2 years ago
I spotted one as a child on Achill Island , and the lizard left me with his tail!!
I felt bad at the time , but later found out that they can re grow the tail July 1984 .. a Sunday the day McEnroe won his last Wimbledon!!
Seen one Horn Head, Co Donegal
Lizard strolling near the back door of our house in Daingean Offaly today. Little beauty.
SUNDAY @ 11:30PM ONE OF MY CATS HAVE BROUGHT IN A YOUNG LIZARD INTO MY KITCHEN.VERY SMALL,LENGTH OF MY THUMB.GOING TO SHOW MY NEPHEW NEXT DOOR IN THE MORNING.
Just saw one laying on the path in kill co. Kildare at 8:30PM, barely moving,placed it in the grass and it started to move
We found a common lizard at the weekend actually thought it was a toy as we didn’t know any existed in Ireland. We live in Durrow, Co.Laois
I opened the back door to let the dog out at 22.45 and there was a common lizard. I had never seen one before and called my husband to take a look. We also called our 9 year old son who was really excited about seeing one. We live in Crusheen Co Clare on the edge of the Burren.
Came home to Balla Co. Mayo and spotted a lizard parked at back door step as the drizzle came down. Night very mild but it may be “sunning” itself under sensor light. Got very close and not a movement from it, moved to different part of step when I went back shortly afterwards.
Happened across one today in Moore Hall, Co. Mayo. Delighted to see it.
Jason
Just saw another one tonight a bit down from the last sighting last September ,lying on the path again,in kill co. Kildare
Just found 3 in the garden under some old timber, third time to see them in the garden in the past five years, I’m near Athboy Co.Meath.
We had a large lizard run across some concrete steps in our back garden yesterday much to the bemusement of our Jack Russell. I have been living here 48 years and never seen one. We live in Delgany, Co. Wicklow
Found one just inside the back door of our house yesterday, very warm out so might have been cooling down, have seen them in bogs before but never by our house.
Sean
Co Kerry
Is it ok to keep one as a pet in the right environment?
No Ian, it is illegal to keep any native wild animal in captivity without a special license to do so from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Hi, Just saw a lizard in one room downstairs of my house around 3pm, my child and I panicked as we didn’t know they did live in Ireland. I have a picture. We catch it but now we need to know where is the best place to let it go as we have a cat.
lots of large green and black lizards 7 inches or so out the front of the PointBbar Magilligan Co.Derry
Saw one years ago in the garden of our house between Ardara and Glencolmcille in West Donegal. I thought he must have arrived here in a tourist’s suitcase lol as I believed (obviously erroneously!) that there were no reptiles in Ireland.
We found a baby viviporous female lizard at the back of our house today. my son decided to release it. hope it will be ok.
We have these lizards reguarly from spring to summer near Plumbridge, county Tyrone. Usally younger lizards when the cat has dragged it out and the tails are off. I’ve set up 4 flat stones around the garden to bask in, with rockeries around them that the cats cant reach into. I hope this reduces the attacks.
Menlough, Co Galway. 31 August 2019. 1.30am. Lizard allowed me to take 20+ photos in pouring rain. Very docile. First found in a saucer of rainfall under a flowerpot. Approx 8cm in length. Skin was almost smooth with a yellowish line along back from neck to tail. Not like the above picture. Maybe I found a young lizard.
I really never knew Ireland had lizards and was shocked and excited to capture photos to keep.
Wet and smooth sounds like you may have found a smooth newt (our only newt species, and an amphibian, not a reptile) rather than a lizard :-).
Until I read this I had no idea there was a lizard native to this country. I live on the east coast in Warrenpoint, County Down. I’m very close to the Mournes, so perhaps I should keep an eye out next time I go for a walk through the forests there.
Hi Marion, I was lucky enough to spot one sunbathing a few weeks ago when walking in the Bernish in Newry (not too far away!) so worth keeping your eyes peeled!
One came in to the kitchen here in Dunmanway, West Cork… lovely little fella
Today we found a small lizard in our house, walking quietly around the living room. We took it out into the garden and left it on the rocks. Shouldn’t it be hibernating? Will it be too cold for it? We live in Macroom in West Cork.
Sorry, only seeing this now. Lizards will wake from hibernation on warmer/sunnier days. You did exactly the right thing, your little guy should be just fine and will be out and about more often once things warm up a bit.
Came across 2 in the last fortnight. One on the path and one in the hallway (after midnight which was a bit of scare). We live near a natural pond so I think they’re coming from there. I’ve also noticed either a Kestrel or a Buzzard that comes in the spring time to the area over the pond so I’m thinking it’s preying on the lizards.?
Michelle McMahon
Clooney
Co Clare
I found my cat tossing a little lizard around on Sunday evening 21st March at 5pm. I rescued it in a plastic container. It’s tail was detached and wriggling about on its own. My son took it to show his family but when he got home it had escaped from the container and is now lost in his car!!
I hope it will manage to find a way out.
Atticall (in the Mournes)
Kilkeel
Co Down
I have sighted our Common Lizard twice at Kilmichael point north Wexford
We saw a bog lizard today first time, never saw one here at home. Our kitten was playing in the garden & it was amazing to see the lizard was frightened & released its tail. Lifted kitten & he ran away. My 5 year old was super excited. I did not know what it was as never saw one here. Very like the pic above & an adult.
We live in west Cavan near the source of the river Shannon
Great to see
We were out walking on hill in Baltinglass , Wicklow and saw one got a few great pictures. Was fascinating as never seen or heard of one before.
I found three under a rock in Cratloe woods today took a few pictures and put them back safely beautiful little creatures
Saw dozens of them (4-12 cm) today at Girley Bog outside kells. There are timber walkways over the bog and they were sunning themselves on the sleepers.. We came across more lizards than the butterflies and dragonflies we went to see. Very tame and photo genic.
My car actually almost killed the poor thing but I caught it just in time, his tail us severed and he got a small scratch on his side from the cat but seems to be alright. I’m afraid he (because of yellow belly) has made a bond with me which is really sweet but by reading this article I don’t think its a good idea to keep him as a house pet.
Co. Mayo
Sorry I meant cat not car, apologies.
Just saw one outside Rathfriland today. Just ran across the road in front of me. Baking temperatures 27.5 degrees