How do basilisk lizards adapt?

I saw a red-headed basilisk in Comeyegua, Honduras during the month of July. He was crossing a sidewalk and was about 20 feet away from me. We both stopped dead in our tracks and looked one another over. Evidently he was as scared as I was because he hightailed it back into the bushes!

The ones i saw in Tortuguero, Costa Rica were large, but very flighty. I couldn't even get close enough for a decent picture!