1. A blackbird, especially the European blackbird (Turdus merula).
Usage: Also spelled 'merle'; chiefly British and poetic

Examples

• The merl sang beautifully from the garden fence at dawn.
• In medieval poetry, the merl was a symbol of spring.
• We heard a merl's distinctive call echoing through the woods.
• The black merl is common throughout Europe.
• A merl nested in the hedge near our cottage.