The water of Madhabkunda does not simply fall—it sparkles.
It plunges from the heights in a silvery torrent, yet much of it hesitates below, lingering in shallow pools before resuming its restless journey downhill. As the water rushes onward, it gives birth to a chhara—a perennial hill stream fed year-round by the waterfall’s freshwater pulse. Massive boulders stand like ancient guardians, sheltering mosses, lichens, ferns, and stubborn little herbs. Wherever water spares a crack, a crevice, a damp ledge—or even a surprisingly dry niche—life claims its foothold.
These plants have not damaged the rocks; they have claimed them. Small colonies flourish in places that seem impossible to sustain life. Wherever plants exist, creepy-crawlies inevitably follow to feed on them, and the atmosphere around the waterfall was no exception.
Even the 61-metre plunge from the top of the waterfall fails to deter some resolute vegetation. Mosses and ferns cling calmly to the near-vertical rock face, growing along the very wall over which the hissing torrent descends. Water thunders, sprays, and roars—yet life persists quietly, insistently.
A sudden ruler of the falls
Amid this chaos of falling water, slippery stone, and stunted greenery, a sudden movement catches the eye.
A small bird darts across the rocks—fearless, confident, almost defiant. It pauses, stands upright, and flicks its tail.
In that instant, it is clear: this bird has declared himself the top boss of the waterfall.
From the mossy base to the wet rock wall, from sheltered ledges to hidden cracks behind the falling sheet of water, he moves with absolute freedom. He feeds wherever he pleases, snapping up insects and worms flushed out by spray and turbulence. At times, he ventures behind the watery curtain itself, vanishing briefly into the shimmering veil, only to reappear moments later at a chosen vantage point—prey secured.
The bird is unmistakable.
A white-capped, reddish-black fellow—sharp-eyed, alert, endlessly active. His gleaming white crown contrasts starkly with dark rock, resembling a tiny Turkish fez perched proudly atop a crimson robe. Each flick of his tail flashes vermilion red edged with black, vivid against grey stone and silver water. Apart from the white cap, the head, neck, back, wings, throat, and breast are jet black, while the rest of the body glows deep red.
This is no ordinary resident bird.
An extraordinary visitor
He is a male, Sada-Tupi Lal-Girdi or White-capped Water Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus), sometimes informally referred to as a “white-capped” redstart by birders because of his gaudy plumage. A rare winter migrant to Bangladesh’s hill regions, the species has fewer than a dozen confirmed national records over several decades.
To encounter one here, at Madhabkunda Waterfall in Moulvibazar, feels nothing short of extraordinary.
It is December. The air is crisp, temperatures hovering between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius. Cool mist rises from the waterfall, and the surrounding forest seems hushed—as if aware that something special is unfolding. The redstart moves effortlessly, perfectly at home in a place where water rules and stone resists.
News travels fast.
Soon, birdwatchers from across the country arrive—drawn by hurried phone calls and whispered excitement. They gather quietly, careful not to disturb the little monarch of the falls. Cameras click softly. Binoculars rise and lower. Smiles spread. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime sighting.
The bird, however, remains indifferent to his fame.
He continues his patrol—darting, flicking, feeding—commanding his watery kingdom with confidence and grace. In that moment, Madhabkunda is no longer just a waterfall; it becomes a rare meeting point of migration, resilience, and chance. And I am fortunate enough to be there—to witness a tiny traveller from distant mountains briefly rule a roaring cascade in the hills of Bangladesh.
The White-capped Water Redstart: A rare vagrant
The bird observed at Madhabkunda is an adult male White-capped Water Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus), a member of the Old-World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae) —a group known for insectivorous species adapted to diverse habitats.
How to identify it
Adult males are unmistakable:
• A bright white crown sharply contrasting with a deep rufous-red body
• Black face, throat, wings, and upperparts
• A bold black-and-red tail pattern, frequently flicked—a classic redstart behaviour
• Strong legs and an upright posture, ideal for hopping across wet, slippery rocks
Females and immature birds are much duller—brownish grey—and easily confused with other redstarts, making sightings of adult males especially valuable for documentation.
A specialist of water and stone
Unlike most redstarts, the White-capped Water Redstart is a highly specialised riparian species. It shows a strong preference for:
• Fast-flowing mountain streams
• Waterfalls and rocky gorges
• Moss-covered boulders and wet cliff faces
While these habitats define its core ecology, migrating individuals sometimes turn up in unexpected places—such as Thakurgaon, Rajshahi or Panchagarh—far from typical hill-stream environments.
At Madhabkunda, the species exploits insects and other small invertebrates flushed out by flowing water or trapped among wet rocks and vegetation. Its habit of foraging behind falling water curtains—rarely witnessed but well documented—reflects remarkable adaptation to turbulent aquatic environments.
Where it comes from
The species breeds in high-altitude regions of Central and South Asia, including:
• The Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan, northern India)
• Western and central China
• Mountain ranges of Central Asia
During winter, some individuals descend to lower elevations. A few wander far beyond their usual wintering range, occasionally reaching the eastern Himalayan foothills and adjoining hill tracts—bringing rare visitors to Bangladesh.
Status in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the White-capped Water Redstart is an extremely rare winter vagrant:
• Records are very few—possibly fewer than half a dozen verified sightings
• Mostly confined to hill streams and waterfalls in the northeast and southeast
• Only isolated records exist from Thakurgaon, Rajshahi and Panchagarh outside hill districts
• Sightings are scattered across decades, with no evidence of regular wintering populations
Although globally listed as Least Concern, national mapping can be misleading. Disjunct records—from Thakurgaon, Rajshahi to Panchagarh, Madhabkunda, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari—are often connected into a single distribution polygon, giving an illusion of wide presence. In reality, the species occurs rarely and irregularly, not continuously across these areas, and it does not visit the country every year (IUCN 2015 Bangladesh Red List Map)
The Madhabkunda sighting is therefore an important national record, involving a well-marked adult male observed over multiple days by numerous experienced birders.
Why it matters
This single bird tells a larger story:
• The ecological importance of intact hill-stream ecosystems
• The role of waterfalls as micro-refugia for specialised migrants
• The need to protect freshwater systems not only for fish and invertebrates, but also for highly specialised terrestrial birds
Such observations also highlight the growing value of citizen science and birdwatching networks, which allow rare records to be rapidly shared, verified, and preserved.
A conservation reminder
Though globally secure, the White-capped Water Redstart depends on clean, fast-flowing streams, making it vulnerable to:
• Water diversion and damming
• Quarrying and rock extraction
• Tourism-related disturbance and pollution
• Infrastructural developments as authorities were seen building a huge wall on either side of the Chhara as a “protection’’ measure!
Protecting sites like Madhabkunda Waterfall is therefore essential—not only for scenic beauty, but for maintaining the fragile ecological conditions that occasionally host some of the rarest visitors to our land.
Dr Reza Khan is a wildlife biologist and conservationist with over four decades of experience in wildlife research, zoo management, and biodiversity conservation in Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates. He has worked extensively in wildlife rescue, sanctuary management, and community-based conservation initiatives.
