Lampropholis delicata is a small skink common in eastern Australia. The species is heliothermic and uses the ground litter layer. This study examined whether L. delicata showed preferences for particular structural features of the ground litter layer by observing their response to a number of pairwise choices of ground litter type. Lampropholis delicata showed a clear preference for a ground litter layer with an open structure. Difference in catch rates between pairwise comparisons was positively correlated with an index of habitat accessibility. It is suggested that this habitat preference is associated with the ability of the lizard to trade-off different activities. Selection of a habitat with some form of open structure may reduce the conflict between the need for foraging and basking, and the need to find shelter from predators.