EN
The composition of life in the forest is altered as changes occur in vegetation that directly interferes with the population structure of the avifauna. The integrity and complexity of a forest are the factors that influence the composition, abundance, and probably the functions of the assembly of different bird species. In that way, in forest environments, where a vertical stratification of resources occurs, these species are distributed occupying a high diversity of trophic niches. This study realized in forest fragments of Atlantic Forest in a metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil, was to analyze the bird's distribution in trophic guilds, according to vertical stratification to different ecological successional stages of vegetation. The forest fragment in an advanced stage of secondary regeneration showed the highest number of bird species and was better distributed in trophic guilds and in the vertical structure of the forest, which indicates a better quality status in comparison to the other forest fragments in an initial and medium stage of ecological succession.