Data derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on board the NOAA series of operational, polar orbiting, meteorological satellites have previously been shown to be quite useful for monitoring vegetation dynamics at scales ranging from regional (10 4 km 2 ) to global. In this report, we demonstrate that these same data can be used to monitor potential breeding habitat for a highly mobile, granivorous African weaver-bird, the red-billed quelea ( Quelea quelea ). This species is often considered to be an agricultural pest, affecting cereal production throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The temporal resolution and very large (continental) spatial coverage provided by these data can provide a unique context within which to examine species distribution and abundance patterns.