Whole-body RMR in captive birds was much lower before inoculation than at both early and late post-inoculation stages (figure 2), but did not differ between experimentally infected and control individuals at any stage of measurement (figure 2; electronic supplementary material, table S1). Figure 2.Aerobic performance, haemoglobin content, and body mass of experimentally infected and sham-treated (non-infected) great reed warblers during sequential phases of infection with Plasmodium relictum. The aerobic performance is described as oxygen consumption (V̇O2, in ml min−1) during overnight rest (RMR), and during strenuous exercise (MMR), as well as the endurance of exercise period (time until exhaustion, min). Infected individuals during acute and chronic infection phases (early and late post-inoculation) did not differ from the control group, with all birds showing increasing whole-body metabolic rates and haemoglobin concentrations during the course of the experiment. Data are medians ± 25/75%.