Jessica, my favorite technique that has worked every time with bird taming is to hold the bird and sit down on the ground with him/her. Ask your friend to get a large light colored sheet (so that you get light through it) and put it over you, so its kind of like you and the bird are together in a little tent, and the bird can't go anywhere but in your lap. That way the bird is forced to sit in your lap and deal with you. LOL Ask your friend to leave the room after putting the sheet on you so that its quiet and only the birdie and you can have some talk. I usually stay like that for 15 minutes, with the bird in my lap, talking to them gently, and trying to teach them to step up and other commands, under the sheet. Everyone gets so surprised when they see the results with this little trick. It seems that it helps the bird to gain confidence in humans. Be sure to have enough air down there. It shouldn't be a thick fabric, better if its a thin cotton sheet.