The San Isidro Owl was once thought to be a subspecies of the Black-banded Owl, but now is considered by many to be a species on its own. There still isn’t a lot of information out there so I’ll share what I can find.
Most people see them readily at Cabanas San Isidro in Ecuador. I haven’t heard of them being found anywhere else.
A perplexed owl wonders why everyone is looking at him,
The Chestnut-backed Owlet (Glaucidium castanotum) (often misspelled Glaucidium castanonotum), is an owl which is endemic to Sri Lanka. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most of the smaller species of owl. This species was formerly considered as a subspecies of the Jungle Owlet.
They are endemic to Sri Lanka and most easily seen in Kithulgala. They are quiet and hard to spot but if you have a good guide, they will know where to find them. They can also be seen in Sinharaja and around Sri Lanka. Use a Central Asian award to get to Colombo, then take a taxi or bus.
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This has to be the cutest owl I have ever seen!