Yeah, I know the types of conditioning. I guess what I would question is the notion that ANY form of positive punishment would destroy the relationship and create fearfulness. If it doesn't do this between birds, it's not hard-wired. Therefore it might be possible to concoct a negative stimulus that discourages a behavior without ruining the relationship. The word punishment has bad connotations these days, but it isn't inherently bad. I'm not planning to take up biting Scooter (although my father did once bite the cat to get it to stop biting him, so I suppose I have a certain insane genetic component) but I am trying to capitalize on everything I have learned working with horses and cats, including questioning common wisdom and looking to natural behaviors to get insight into effective training methods.
I've yet to find a non-messy handheld treat Scooter actually likes to commence formal training and hopefully therefore introduce many more rewarding interactions to the detriment of the non desirable ones... he's even been dubious about sunflower seeds. Millet spray he likes, and fresh fruit, but those are messy.