Frilled lizards have a frill to help protect themselves from predators. When a frilled lizard feels threatened, it expands the large flap of skin around its neck, opens its mouth wide, and makes itself look bigger and more dangerous. This sudden behavior can scare predators away.

Frilled Lizard Coloring Sheet

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What Is a Frilled Lizard’s Frill?

The frilled lizard gets its name from the unusual flap of skin surrounding its head. When the lizard is calm, its frill looks like extra flappy skin around its neck, almost like a scarf.

But when the frilled lizard senses danger, everything changes!

The frill is connected to the lizard’s jaw, allowing it to raise the skin until it surrounds its head like a large collar. When fully expanded, the frill can stretch almost a whole foot, or 30 centimeters, across.

The frilled lizard also opens its mouth wide, making its display look even more intimidating.

Why Do Frilled Lizards Have a Frill?

A frilled lizard uses its frill to make itself appear much larger and scarier than it actually is. The goal is to warn a predator to stay away.

This behavior is called a deimatic display.

A deimatic display is a sudden behavior an animal uses to scare an enemy. An animal might puff up, reveal bright colors, hiss, or open part of its body to appear larger or more dangerous.

Frilled lizards are not the only creatures that do this. Cobras spread their hoods and hiss, cats arch their backs and raise their fur, and some moths reveal bright colors or eye-like markings hidden beneath their wings.

How Else Do Frilled Lizards Protect Themselves?

Expanding their frill is not the frilled lizard’s only defense.

Frilled lizards spend around 90 percent of their time in trees. Their gray or brownish coloring helps them blend in with tree bark.

When danger appears, they can also make a speedy escape. Although frilled lizards normally walk on four feet, they can stand up and run on their two back feet when they need to move quickly. They can reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour and often run toward a nearby tree before scurrying up to safety.

What Can Frilled Lizards Teach Us About God’s Promises?

The frilled lizard’s surprising defense can remind us of Gideon’s army in Judges 6–8.

God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 men to only 300. During the night, Gideon’s men surrounded the Midianite camp in three groups. They suddenly blew trumpets, smashed jars, lit torches, and shouted.

The noise, lights, and shouting made Gideon’s small army seem much larger and scarier than it really was.

Similarly, the frilled lizard expands its neck frill to look larger and more intimidating.

When we feel small or unprepared for something God has called us to do, we can remember Gideon and the frilled lizard. Romans 8:31 reminds us, “If God is for us, no one can defeat us.”

God has filled His creation with amazing reminders of His creativity, wisdom, and care. Even the unusual frill around a little lizard’s neck can point us back to His promises.

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