An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Amsel

by Friedrich Kluge

Amsel, feminine, ‘blackbird,’ from the equivalent Middle High German amsel, Old High German amsala, feminine. It corresponds to Anglo-Saxon ôsle (ôs- from ams-), English ousel; the equivalent Latin mĕrula (French merle), whence Dutch meerle and English merl are borrowed, may represent *mĕsula, and have been originally cognate with Amsel. Its relation to Ammer and to Gothic ams, ‘shoulder,’ is uncertain.