1. Birds are among the most colourfully diverse organisms globally, with colour playing a crucial role in many life-strategies. However, tropical deforestation for farmland threatens species’ existence and the efficacy of colouration strategies through habitat loss and fragmentation. Given the rapid rate of deforestation, regenerating secondary forests on abandoned agricultural land may offer a viable option for conserving biodiversity and colour. While the recovery of avian species richness with secondary forest regrowth has been recorded, little is known about the impact on community colour diversity. 2. To address this gap, we investigated the effects of secondary forest regeneration on avian richness and colour diversity. We used a meta-dataset of 35 paired tropical primary and secondary forest sites across the Old World and New World, combined with data on male and female colouration derived from standardised visible and UV light photography of museum specimens. 3. We found that species richness in closed habitat species increased with secondary forest age in the Old World, whereas richness in open habitat species declined with forest age in the New World. 4. We also found that community colour diversity for both closed (Old World) and open habitat (Old World and New World) species was lower in the young secondary forests but returned to primary forest levels over time, implying the recovery of natural visual signalling environments as the forest regenerates. 5. Synthesis and applications: Overall, our findings emphasise that secondary forests, particularly older forest regrowth, can maintain avian species richness and colour diversity. Acknowledging the role of secondary forests in sustaining colourfully diverse and aesthetically pleasing species could be effective in guiding policy and investment decisions toward their sustained protection.