Conure Greeting?

[Caitnah]

I was wondering if I am mis-interpreting what my three year old Conure does in the morning?
He has his own room and at night I partially cover his cage. In the morning, our routine is always the same. I greet him while uncovering his cage. I have his breakfast in hand and he waits by the feed door for me to place it in.

While pulling my hand away, he kind of “attacks” my parting hand as if he wants to nip it. He then starts to bite the cage bar.
I then sit down with my coffee and, most of the time, he will eat a little.

I always thought the “attack” mode was him just being nippy as Conures can be. But is it possible that his actions are just a way of greeting me happily?

 

[Squeekmouse]

In general, conures are often nippy and sometimes they seem to bite from instinct. Yoda is territorial and will often nip if we reach into his cage quickly/unexpectedly. He also bites as a little revenge for something we did or didn't do to please him. For example, if I reach in to his cage and he wants to come out, he will bite me if I try to withdraw my hand without him on it. Or he might give me a nip to repay me for putting him in there in the first place, and then happily crawl up onto my hand to come out.

Funny thing is he often 'apologizes' for nipping me, after he bites he will make kissy noises and rub his beak all over where he just bit me as if trying to make it better. It's just the Green Cheek Conure way I think.