It lives in small colonies on rocky outcrops, and the males are very conspicuous for their bright blue heads.

[2] The natural range of this species is over the entire South Africa and Botswana, excluding only sandy areas of the Northern Cape and portions of the Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

The males also take to sitting on top of prominent rocks and are therefore a common sight in mountainous areas of South Africa.

[citation needed] A. atra has some ability to change colour, although not to the same extent as chameleons, of which the Agamidae are a sister group.

A dominant male usually occupies a high point in the area and performs a pushup display and head nodding to warn off intruders.