11 Types of Lizards Found in Oregon! (ID Guide)

What kinds of lizards can you find in Oregon?”

common lizards in Oregon

I was amazed by the number of lizards in the United States – well over 150 species! Some species live only in a small area, and some are widespread over hundreds of miles.

Today, you’ll learn about 11 different kinds of lizards in Oregon.


#1. Western Whiptail

  • Aspidoscelis tigris

types of lizards in Oregon

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 2.5 to 5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Body coloring is gray-brown to yellowish, with dark bars or spots that form a web-like pattern.
  • Skin folds are present on the neck, making the throat appear wrinkled.
  • Rust-colored patches are often present on the sides of the belly.

You can find Western Whiptail Lizards in southeastern Oregon in sandy, rocky, or firmly packed soil.

Their habitat preferences range from open forest to arid scrubland. Western Whiptails eat other lizards, scorpions, spiders, termites, and beetles. As you can see, this lizard is anything but picky!

Their physical characteristics and habitats are so varied that there are sixteen distinct subspecies! As you can see in the map above, five of the subspecies are present throughout the Southwest.


#2. Common Sagebrush Lizard

  • Sceloporus graciosus

species of lizards in Oregon

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 1.9 to 3.5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Coloring is gray or brown with a light stripe on each side, a black bar at the shoulder, and blue patches on the belly.
  • Unusually long, almost spidery back claws.

This species is one of few spiny lizards in Oregon.

Common Sagebrush Lizards are typically found in sagebrush fields, as their name suggests, but you can also find them in grasslands and among dunes. They are most active during daylight hours.

Common Sagebrush Lizard Range Map:

These spiny lizards eat a wide variety of insects and even scorpions! They hibernate during winter when temperatures drop, and food becomes scarce.

The easiest way to tell if you’ve found a Common Sagebrush Lizard is to look at its belly. The brilliant blue spots on its throat and abdomen are a dead giveaway!


#3. Western Fence Lizard

  • Sceloporus occidentalis

common lizards in Oregon

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 2.25 to 3.5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Black, gray, or dark brown coloring with uneven lighter blotches.
  • The sides of the belly are blue, and the backs of the limbs are orange or yellow.

If you see a dark lizard on the ground or a fence, chances are you’ve found a Western Fence Lizard.

They’re the most commonly seen lizard within their range, and you can spot them on fenceposts, lumber piles, and even the sides of buildings! They aren’t picky about their habitat and live in most ecosystems except for the desert.

Western Fence Lizard Range Map:

A fascinating talent of Western Fence Lizards is that they can help lower YOUR risk of Lyme disease.

Here’s why:

This spiny lizard’s blood can actually kills the Lyme Bacteria that many ticks carry! So once an infected tick feeds on the lizard’s blood, they’re cured!

YouTube video

#4. Western Skink

  • Plestiodon skiltonianus

types of lizards in Oregon

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Adults are up to 8.5 inches long.
  • This species has a broad brown stripe with black edges on the back, bordered in white on each side.
  • The tail is normally pale blue or gray, but the throat and underside of the tail turn red-orange during the breeding season.
  • Young Western Skink’s tails are brilliant blue.

The Western Skink prefers to live in grassland or pine-oak forests near rocky streams and hillsides. This species primarily eats insects and spiders.

You might have trouble finding Western Skinks in Oregon!

Even though they are common, they are very secretive! They spend most of their time under rocks or in burrows.

Like some other lizard species, the Western Skink is capable of autotomy, which is the severing of its own tail when it’s under threat. Once the tail detaches, it continues to move and wriggle, distracting the predator so the skink can escape. Now THAT is a unique way of dealing with stress!

WARNING: If you’re squeamish, this video might not be for you. Please remember, the skink does this as a defensive measure and isn’t harmed.

YouTube video

There are three subspecies of the Western Skink.

  • Skilton’s Skink, P.s. skiltonianus, is the most widespread subspecies.
  • Great Basin Skink, P.s. utahensis, tends to live in more rocky areas.
  • Coronado Skink, P.s. interparietalis is only found in the southern half of San Diego County in the US.

#5. Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard

  • Phrynosoma douglasii

species of lizards in Oregon

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 1.25 to 2.5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • A single row of fringe scales lines the sides of the body.

The Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard is commonly found in Oregon in rocky terrain with pockets of fine, loose soil. It prefers open plains with sagebrush or open pine forests.

These horned lizards are more tolerant of colder temperatures than most other lizards. They’re even able to live in mountainous regions at elevations of up to 11,000 feet!

Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard Range Map:

Pygmy Short-Horned Lizards are almost always found near ants! This is because ants are their primary food source, and they often lie in wait outside colonies.

Its primary defense against predators is to bury itself in the soil with a “shimmying” motion, moving from side to side until it’s buried in the sand! Check out the video below to see how they do it!

YouTube video

#6. Desert Horned Lizard

  • Phrynosoma platyrhinos

types of horned lizards in the united states

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 2.5 to 3.75 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Coloration is brown, tan, reddish, gray, or black. Wavy, dark blotches dot the back and neck.
  • Blunt snout and short horns.

As its name suggests, the Desert Horned Lizard prefers the arid climate of sandy flats and dunes in desert regions of southeastern Oregon. Areas with cactus, creosote, and saltbush are common homes for the Desert Horned Lizard.

Desert Horned Lizard Range Map:

Desert Horned Lizards have a remarkable hidden talent – they’re good dancers!

They often perform mating dances that display intricate body movements, including head bobbing, weaving, and tail movements. While some lizards use body movement displays as a sign of aggression, Desert Horned Lizards use their moves most often to attract a mate!

One of the easiest ways to find a Desert Horned Lizard is to drive slowly in its habitat in the late afternoon. They’re often seen sunning themselves on the warm pavement!

YouTube video


#7. Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard

  • Gambelia wislizenii

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Up to17 inches long, including the tail.
  • This species is large, with a round body and tail, and a large head.
  • Coloring is gray, pink, brown, or yellowish-brown with dark spots.
  • Long-Nosed Leopard Lizards have two color phases:
    • Dark phase – coloring is nearly as dark as the spots on its back, hiding them from view.
    • Light phase – coloring is as above with spots clearly defined.

Long-Nosed Leopard Lizards live in dry climates with little vegetation. They prefer rocky outcroppings for basking and avoid dense grass or shrubs because it limits their running ability.

Credit: United States Geological Survey (USGS)

This lizard is quick!

It runs on its back legs in a short burst to escape predators and to ambush prey. One report even says the Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard can reach Mach-1 or the speed of sound – but this could be a bit of an exaggeration. 🙂

Long-Nosed Leopard Lizards are ambush predators by nature. But, they’re also omnivorous and have one of the most varied diets of all the lizards in Oregon! Their diet includes soft leaves, blossoms, berries, insects of all kinds, spiders, lizards, small rodents, and even juvenile snakes!


#8. Common Side-Blotched Lizard

  • Uta stansburiana

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 1.5 to 2.5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Coloring is brownish, occasionally blue-gray, with a blue to black blotch on either side of the chest.
  • In the light color phase, this species often has white speckles dotting its back.

Common Side-Blotched Lizards are comfortable in many different habitats. Look for them in sandy, rocky, or hardpan soil with grass, shrubs, and trees. They are abundant in their range and easy to find by concentrating on the ground where they spend most of their time.

Credit: United States Geological Survey (USGS)

There are three separate morphs of the male Side-Blotched Lizard, and interestingly, this plays a huge role in the mating habits of this species.

They employ a Rock-Paper-Scissors mechanism with one morph being dominant over the second (like paper over rock) but not over the third (like scissors cutting paper). The result of this unique mechanism is a “rotation” of the most common morph each breeding season! The three morphs are listed below:

  • Orange-throated males are the largest and most dominant morph and often breed with harems of females in a single season. They outmaneuver and intimidate blue-throated males, but are often outwitted by yellow-throated males that mimic females.
  • Blue-throated males are intermediate in size and generally only breed with one female during a mating season. Therefore, they’re less likely to be fooled by a yellow-throated male but often are “beat out” for mating by orange-throated males.
  • Yellow-throated males mimic female Side-blotched Lizards when confronted with other male morphs. In this way, they often escape the aggression of orange-throated males but can’t easily “steal” a female from a blue-throated male.

#9. Great Basin Collared Lizard

  • Crotaphytus bicinctores

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 3.5-4.5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Coloring is brown to grayish with small white dots and dashes all over the back.
  • Two dark collar markings edged in white appear on the neck.
  • Males often have crossbands in pink and orange, a bluish-gray throat, and black patches on the neck. Females lack these markings.

Look for Great Basin Collared Lizards in southeastern Oregon in desert habitats with little plant life.

You can find them near rocky outcroppings, which they use for basking to warm themselves and as shelter to hide from predators.

Here’s an interesting fact: Younger males sometimes pretend to be pregnant to avoid fighting with an older, stronger adversary!

Female Great Basin Collared Lizards develop bright orange markings when nesting, and male juveniles sometimes develop similar markings as a defensive strategy. What a creative way to stay out of trouble!


#10. Northern Alligator Lizard

  • Elgaria coerulea

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 2.75-5.5 inches long from snout to vent (length does not include the tail).
  • Coloring is variable: gray, olive, brown, rust-red, greenish, or blue are common.
  • Dark crossbands are common, and sometimes a middle stripe is present.

If you find a Northern Alligator Lizard in Oregon, it’s almost certainly the Northwestern subspecies.

The four subspecies all have slightly different characteristics and different ranges. If you find a Northern Alligator Lizard in the wild, the easiest way to tell its subspecies is by location.

All the subspecies prefer woodland and forested areas in a damp, cool climate. They eat insects, ticks, centipedes, slugs, and spiders. Yum!

The four subspecies of the Northern Alligator Lizard are:

  • San Francisco Alligator Lizard (E.c. coerulea) Large, dark blotches appear on the back and sometimes look like crossbands.
  • Shasta Alligator Lizard (E.c. shastensis) The most variable in color and most colors besides brown and gray are Shasta Alligator Lizards.
  • Northwestern Alligator Lizard (E.c. principis) Smaller than other subspecies with a broad, tan stripe on the back.
  • Sierra Alligator Lizard (E.c. palmeri) The only visual difference is the number of scale rows on the back – location is your best tool for identification.

#11. Southern Alligator Lizard

  • Elgaria multicarinata

Identifying Characteristics:

  • 2.75-7 inches long from snout to vent. (Length does not include the tail)
  • The coloring is brown, gray, or reddish with dark bands and sometimes white spots.
  • The eyes are pale yellow.
  • The tail is long; often twice the length of the body.

The Southern Alligator Lizard’s habitat is primarily open grassland and pine forest. They will sometimes go into the water to escape a predator but live on land.

You may even find one around your house if you live in their range  – they particularly like woodpiles and trash heaps!

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Southern Alligator Lizards in Oregon have a dangerous favorite food – the Black Widow Spider!

This highly venomous spider doesn’t have very many predators, but Southern Alligator Lizards eat them frequently.

There are three subspecies of the Southern Alligator Lizard:

  • California Alligator Lizard (E.m. multicarinata) has red blotches on its back.
  • San Diego Alligator Lizard (E.m. webbii) is larger, and the scales have a more prominent ridge than others.
  • Oregon Alligator Lizard (E.m. scincicauda) has smooth scales and lacks mottling on the head.

Do you need additional help identifying lizards?

Try this field guide!


Which of these lizards have you seen in Oregon?

Leave a comment below!


Also, if you enjoy this article, make sure to check out these other guides!

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2 Comments

  1. Sorry for this but I think you also included an incorrect image under #8. Common Side-Blotched Lizard
    Uta stansburiana

    Image at left looks fine but again the one on the right is not.

    Looks more like a western fence l.

  2. Hi, thank you for this but please correct the image at right under #2.

    It is a desert iguana,

    not a Common Sagebrush Lizard (S. graciosus).