An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schmerl

by Friedrich Kluge

Schmerl, m., Schmerlin, ‘merlin,’ from MidHG. smirl, m., smirlîn, ‘mountain falcon,’ OHG. smirl, m., OIc. smyrell; loan-words from Ron.; comp. Ital. smerlo, smeriglione, Fr. émerillon, ‘stone-falcon’; E. merlin comes from Fr. The Rom. name of the bird is usually derived from Lat. merula, ‘blackbird’; “it is said that the Lat. word is applied to a bird similar to the blackbird.”