<p>The guano produced by seabirds has a spectral signature that can, under certain circumstances, allow researchers to identify breeding colonies using satellite-based imagery. The detection of seabird colonies using remote sensing is particularly appealing in Antarctica where logistical constraints preclude a comprehensive exploration of potential breeding habitat. Here we used a “blind” study to test the classification accuracy of very high-resolution commercial satellite imagery for detecting Antarctic seabird breeding populations. Using WorldView imagery with ≤ 2&#xa0;m spatial resolution, a classification analyst with no prior knowledge of the biogeography of birds in the study area surveyed 85 locations containing either only surface-nesting flying seabirds (of one or more species of southern fulmars, cape petrels, or Antarctic petrels), only Adélie penguins, both Adélies and flying seabirds, or no nesting birds at all. Because the locations of penguin breeding populations across the Antarctic coastline are well known, we repeated our classification process a second time with auxiliary information on the presence or absence of breeding Adélie penguins at each of the study sites. Using this auxiliary information, a statistically significant correlation was found between the analyst’s classification (flying seabirds present or absent) and the occupation of islands as recorded by direct field surveys by one of more or the three flying seabird species considered. Thus, we test the feasibility of surveying areas for flying seabird breeding occupancy, both with and without prior information about the site under investigation, and identify some of the conditions under which such a survey may be successful.</p>