Resumo. The point-counts method was used to evaluate the bird community in a small patch of forest (1 ha) restored through reforestation, with more than 40 years of deployment, in Viçosa, MG state. In total, 20 points were sampled in the reproductive period of the birds, during 2011. A total of 31 bird species and 160 contacts were recorded, and all species were identified as typical from a semi-deciduous forest and included five endemic species of the Atlantic forest biome. In the present study, the presence of frugivorous and insectivorous birds in the understory with little tolerance for open environments and strong insolation, suggests the good quality of the sampled habitat, confirming that the restored forest is in an advanced stage of succession. The results of this study also demonstrate that even in a small area, and with a few days of sampling, it is possible to obtain a rapid characterization of the bird community, being possible to associate it to the habitat conditions and allowing a safe evaluation of the success of a forest restoration project.