At Sydney Snake Catcher we get the very occasional call about these animals, especially in warmer months when they are out hunting at night and may turn up on driveways, garden paths and back patios. They are one of the most misidentified reptiles in the Sydney region and one of the most fascinating.
The Burton's Legless Lizard (Lialis burtonis) is the most widely distributed pygopodid in Australia — a member of the legless lizard family Pygopodidae, closely related to geckos. They are found across most of the continent and across all five distribution zones in the Greater Sydney region.
The defining feature is the snout. No other reptile in the Sydney region has a head quite like a Burton's. It is long, pointed and unmistakably wedge-shaped, almost beak-like in profile. Once you have seen one, you will not confuse it with anything else.
The appearance variation is one of the things that makes them difficult to identify. Two Burton's from the same patch of bushland can look like completely different species. But the snout shape is consistent and diagnostic.
The differences are clear once you know what to look for:
If you find one in your yard, the best move is to photograph it from a safe distance and send the image to a licensed reptile catcher for confirmation before doing anything else.
This species is the most widely distributed member of its family in Australia, and that range continues throughout the Greater Sydney region. They occur in essentially every environment from coastal heathland to dry sclerophyll forest, through to suburban gardens.
Common habitats include:
They are ground-dwellers and rely on cover for both ambush hunting and shelter from predators.
The Burton's Legless Lizard is one of the most specialised predators in the Australian reptile fauna. It feeds almost exclusively on other lizards, particularly skinks. The wedge-shaped snout, the vertical pupils, the flexible skull joints, all of it is adapted for one job: hunting and swallowing other reptiles.
The hunting technique is impressive. Burton's are sit-and-wait ambush predators. They lie still in leaf litter or low vegetation, often with the head raised slightly and twitched in a specific way that mimics a small insect or worm, a behaviour called caudal luring when it is done with the tail, but Burton's also use the head and body to lure prey within striking range.
When a skink approaches, the Burton's strikes with surprising speed, grips the prey behind the head, and uses its highly flexible cranial joints to swallow lizards that look impossibly large for its head. The skull bones literally rearrange during swallowing. They can take prey almost as long as themselves.
No. The Burton's Legless Lizard is completely harmless to humans and pets. They have no venom and no significant defensive behaviour. If you pick one up, the worst they will do is squirm vigorously and possibly nip — though even the nip is not painful and barely registers.
The bigger risk is to the animal, not from it. Burton's are frequently killed by people who mistake them for snakes. Cats also take a heavy toll on them, particularly in suburban areas.
Burton's Legless Lizards have a reproductive pattern well suited to the Australian climate:
The multiple-clutch strategy means a single female can produce a reasonable number of offspring across a good season, though survival to adulthood is low given how many small reptiles eat each other in the bush.
Burton's Legless Lizards are abundant across much of their range, they are common throughout Greater Sydney, prolific in parts of northern Australia. But sightings in the Sydney region are almost always the result of chance encounters rather than deliberate searching.
They are very good at being invisible. Their behaviour, colouration and habitat preferences mean that even experienced herpetologists find them difficult to locate on purpose. You are far more likely to encounter one crossing a driveway at night than by going out looking for one.
In almost every case, leave it alone. Burton's are native, harmless and beneficial and form part of a healthy garden ecosystem.
Practical steps if you encounter one:
What you should not do:
The Burton's Legless Lizard (Lialis burtonis) is one of those species that quietly proves how interesting Australian reptile diversity really is. It looks like a snake, hunts like a viper, and is built for a job no other animal in the Sydney region does. They are common across Greater Sydney but rarely seen, and almost always misidentified when they are. Knowing what one looks like — and being able to tell the difference between a Burton's and a snake — is one of the most useful pieces of reptile knowledge a Sydney homeowner can have.
Found a reptile you cannot identify in Sydney? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we can identify and safely manage any reptile you encounter. Call 1300 599 938.
The Burton's Legless Lizard is one of those species that quietly proves how interesting Australian reptile diversity really is.
It looks like a snake, hunts like a viper, and is built for a job no other animal in the Sydney region does. They are common across Greater Sydney but rarely seen, and almost always misidentified when they are. Knowing what one looks like and being able to tell the difference between a Burton's and a snake is one of the most rewarding pieces of reptile knowledge a Sydney homeowner can have.
For more information head to www.urbanreptileremoval.com.au/sydney-reptile-species/burtons-legless-lizard
