Consistent with MacArthur and MacArthur’s [24] model, vegetation structure is a primary determinant
of the composition of many bird species assemblages. In arid Australian landscapes comprising simple
habitats, bird community composition is determined by breeding requirements and vegetation structure
rather than resource availability and disturbance regimes [28]. Structurally simple mangrove forests may
affect the bird community in a similarly deterministic way. Besides being an important factor in contributing
to the increase in species richness and diversity, habitat structure is also an important determinant influencing habitat selection and distribution of species, especially in complex habitats such as tropical forest [29]. For example, in the Northern Territory, Woinarski et al. [30] reported that species richness and abundance of birds was significantly greater in forested riparian zones compared to non-riparian habitats, and that species composition also varied within habitats depending on their relative complexity.