Another observation with the Common Tern chicks (with Scooter and Tyke) who both were/are dependent on parental food provisioning, found that the brood size and sibling competition affected their survival and ultimately their well-being.

Kleptoparasitism (stealing food), is common between siblings as well as other adults who steal from the parent feeding their chicks.

As cute as this photograph is of Scooter, there was a lot of competition going on between him and Tyke. I do think the ultimate cause of "Tyke's" death was starvation and dehydration, weakened to the point when the injury was inflicted by another Adult Common Tern, (happened a day later) was the nail in her coffin. As unfortunate and sad as this is, it is the survival of the fittest, eldest and sex of chick.