The Common Lizard is also known as the Viviparous Lizard and can be found scattered throughout England. It likes to live in areas that have open sunny spaces such as on heaths, moors, sea cliffs, grassland. It can even be found on railway embankments.

The Common Lizard is a small reptile that has a long slender body and a long tail. It is normally a bronze-brown colour with rows of small black spots running down the length of its body. It can also be green, grey or a reddish brown. The male Common Lizard usually has a yellow-orange belly with black spots and the female usually has a creamy-white belly without spots.

Common Lizards spend quite a lot of time basking in the sun especially in spring and autumn. They often sunbathe on logs or piles of twigs because if they are disturbed, they can quickly vanish out of view. Like all reptiles, Common Lizards are cold-blooded which means they need the heat of the sun to make them more active. When it gets too cold, Common Lizards hibernate in burrows or under logs and rocks and they re-emerge when the weather becomes warmer in early April.