Reptiles
Oriental Garden Lizard
Calotes versicolor · also called bloodsucker, changeable lizard
On a garden hedge in Sri Lanka, a male oriental garden lizard clings to a branch, his head and throat flushed a bright red in the breeding season.
Overview
The oriental garden lizard, Calotes versicolor, is a Least Concern lizard of gardens, scrub, and farmland across South and Southeast Asia, with introduced populations elsewhere. Its red-headed males, colour changes, and tolerance of people make it one of the most familiar lizards in Asian gardens.
A lizard with a bloody name
The nickname bloodsucker comes from the breeding male’s blood-red head, but the lizard is an insect-eater and harmless to people.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common.
Oriental Garden Lizard: common questions
Why is it called the bloodsucker?
Breeding males develop a bright red head and throat, which gave rise to the name, but the lizards do not suck blood.
Why is it called the changeable lizard?
It can change colour from brown to green, and the shade shifts with mood, temperature, and display.
What does it eat?
It eats ants, grasshoppers, beetles, and other insects, as well as spiders and occasionally small lizards.
Where is the oriental garden lizard found?
It lives in gardens, scrub, and farmland across South and Southeast Asia, with introduced populations elsewhere.